Seven Men In Mogami Kyoko’s Life
by momoirousagichan
Summary: Shou teases the media about a possible potential 'girlfriend,' which has unexpected ramifications on Kyouko's relationship with Ren. Canon spoilers until Chapter 135. Summary changed at the request of buduica
1. Chapter 1: Katsuki

**Author's Notes/Assumptions: **

- Skip Beat! is owned by a mangaka named Nakamura Yoshiki. I am not a mangaka and my name is not Nakamura Yoshiki.

- Since this is a situational story and not a reflective narrative, I will try to keep everything in character as much as possible. If I skew a little, let's call it 'plot device'.

- Again, I'm really crap at giving out fictitious names for anything. Plus, I'm really bad at it considering my limited knowledge in Japanese so I'm not going to add on to anything that is outside the manga's canon.

- R&Rs are encouraged and more than welcomed.

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**Chapter 1: Katsuki**

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The lights are blinding and the fangirls are deafening, but Fuwa Sho is already used to it.

Combined with his good looks and genius for music, he knew all the hard work that he put into his career has placed him to the top. He knew all this showering of adulation from all his fans is something he deserved.

"So, Fuwa-kun," the host interrupted his thoughts. "You've been very busy with your latest album which is already in number one." He paused at the fans' screams at that statement. "Do you even have time for a love life?"

"Huh?" He gave out a look of feigned surprise. He stretched as he lazily, giving the standard answer to the love life question that image training has given him. "No, I've been so busy for the last few months that I don't even have time to meet girls." A part of the audience 'awww'-ed.

"But there must be someone you like…" the host baited. "Maybe someone you like or admire or think is cute in… the show business industry, for example…???"

Sho's mind quickly turned to Kyoko – not the simple, sweet girl he brought to Tokyo but the complicated, high-strung girl he encountered in Karuizawa – complex and oozing with a different kind of sexiness he never realized she had. At the time, he was never able to tell her how he really felt about her. And with her current opinion of him, he shouldn't tell her. Not until she is the one to come to him – either for another showdown or whatever. One day. When he is the number one guy and she is the number one girl…

"Ah…" the host smiled sneakily. "From the look on your face, you've thought of someone…"

Shoot! He let this thoughts fly away with him in front of an audience. "Erm…" he smiled shyly. "I did meet someone…" It has been a few months. This is to secure his place in her heart, he thought. No matter what emotion, he needs the security that she is constantly thinking about him. There will be time to fix it afterwards.

"There's this actress I see around once or twice…"

–Three times. –

"She's really cute and sweet."

–With a grudge against me–

"I even visited her once on set because I wanted to see her."

–And apologize for hitting her–

"Then I saw her again by coincidence while I was working on this album and she was filming in Karuizawa…"

–When she was being stalked–

"and we even ended up having breakfast together in the dining hall."

–where she cursed him a lot for all the trouble that he was causing her.

He dramatically shook his head. "I just thought how really cute she was." Then she leaned back against the chair. "Of course, we're both very busy people. We haven't seen each other since then. I guess… fate has stopped us from crossing paths."

The audience gushed and slowly erupted to screams.

For now, that was enough. It doesn't really matter if she or that 15-inch-platform-shoe-wearing no-talent Tsuruga Ren were not watching. Just marking his territory. He's been in this industry long enough to know that news like this will find its way to their ears. But he knew the longer she is away from him, the more that big-head-with-nothing-in-it Tsuruga Ren is more likely to be brainwashing her with the suave moves of a no-talent pretty boy like him, getting her to do corny things like making him lunch or calling him 'honey'. Then he envisioned the two of them happily eating lunch she prepared and remembered how good Kyoko's cooking actually is and got really pissed off.

* * *

"_…According to our mole in the production staff, filming for Box 'R' has been full of drama both on- and off- camera…_" He gave her a frank stare. "_The unexpected popularity of the show among the 18-35 year old demographic, despite being a teen –_"

"Not that part, the third paragraph."

"_With only four episodes out, the series' main antagonist, Natsu played by actress Kyoko (LME), rose to infamy and has been voted by our readers to be 'the character they most want to die'…_"

"It's not that funny, Tsuruga-san," Mogami-san pouted, looking up from a script that she was studying, as he tossed the magazine with a Box "R" special in it onto the table as he dissolved to mirth to the point where he was pounding the table.

"Yes it is," Ren's gasped, his face red with suppressed laughter. His mouth twitched again and succumbed once again to laughter. "But isn't it great? That your acting is resonating into people's minds."

She narrowed her eyes and said, "Don't say things to compliment people when you can't keep a straight face." She sighed and placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her palms. "First, they want me to be exorcised as Mio. And now they want me to die as Natsu. Nowadays, I'm starting to think that I would be thrown with something just by walking down the street."

Ren was just getting over his laughing fit until she said that. His mouth twitched again and he let out a hearty laugh.

They were sitting in a common area while waiting for their scenes. It's been a while since he's seen Mogami-san and wanted to spend time with her. They already have the reputation inside the Dark Moon set of having a close senpai-kouhai relationship, the two of them hanging out with just each other is no longer a big surprise to everyone.

He raised his face to look at her and saw her evil, intent-to-kill face. "That's Mio, not Natsu," he sternly reminded her.

"Of course it is," she said in a flat tone. "We are in the Dark Moon set. And besides, if it was Natsu, she would say…" Her voice lowered an octave and became kinda seductive as her eyelashes fluttered and her lips pursed into a sexy pout as she said, "'You're gonna have to work more to get to a high level by earning some more Stimuli Points just to know how bad I can be…'"

Ren stopped dead in his tracks, stunned. The bottled water that was halfway to his mouth, slipped off his hand and bounced on the table spilling water all over. "Oh, shoot!" he exclaimed, standing up.

Mogami-san quickly snapped back to her normal self at the sound of small thud on the table. Tsuruga-san scrambled to get all the things on his table while she fetched the paper towels on the side table.

He grabbed a tiny plastic bag and the content spilled out, revealing a small pack of tablets. "What's this?" He flipped the box and read, "Paracetamol?"

"Huh?" Mogami-san looked up at what he was holding and said, "Fever medicine. I'm feeling kinda under the weather and I think I'm coming up with one of those 24-hour bugs." She smiled as she threw the wet paper towels in the trash bin. "I already took another one and passed by the drug store before coming here to get that since I already drank the last one I had. In case I still feel lousy later."

"Oh?" He studied her face. She didn't really look like anything unusual. But then again, he is pretty lousy at telling if people are sick or not. To him, as long as the other person is still moving, that person is as normal as normal can be. "Does that actually work?"

"Of course!" she said. "It's a pre-emptive strike. Which reminds me I have to set to drink another one at midnight. Because unlike certain people, I know and can admit to when I am feeling badly and do something about it. Not when I'm about to fall over."

He gave her slight glare. "Are you making fun of me?"

"N-n-no!" she suddenly looked apologetic. "I'm sorry."

He meant it as a joke. A jibe. An icebreaker. He wonders if he's just that lousy with making jokes that Mogami-san constantly mistakes it for him being insulted. Before she could make a more elaborate apology that she would be doing a dogeza on the floor, he just told her, "You've just been working too hard. When you get home, you should have one of those soups you keep telling me that the okami makes you claim is so delicious."

She looked at him strangely. Seriously, what kind of image of him does she have floating in her head that she looks like she's going to be executed everytime they would joke around? "Actually, there's no one home."

"Huh?"

"Well," she smiled proudly. "It's taisho and okami-san's wedding anniversary so I sent them off to a trip to a nice beach resort in Okinawa. I've been saving up for months."

"Eh, really? That's awfully nice of you," he said, setting down all the things he cradled in his arms back down on the table.

She sat down, shaking her head. "Well, it's the least I can do. I've been quite busy with work that I don't have time to help out parttime. And this with them letting me live there rent-free."

"…Kyoko-chan!"

He and Mogami-san immediately reacted to her name being mentioned over the partition wall that divided the waiting area with the common make-up room. Ren knew that most of the girls in the cast spend a lot of their time gossiping. He never really pays much attention to it. But he couldn't believe that these girls were actually chatting about someone who is involved in the production and is probably loitering around.

"Why would you think it'd be her?"

And in such loud voices too.

"C'mon… how can you not think it was her? He came over that day here just to see her and in Karuizawa, they were seen having breakfast together by a lot of the staff. Heck, we were even there and saw it."

She had breakfast? With him? He turned his head to Mogami-san and saw her face flushed-red as she tightly balled her fists on the table. She was losing her temper. Who's him and why did Mogami-san have breakfast with him?

"I can't believe it… Fuwa Sho has a thing for Mio-the-evil-incarnate-sama???"

"Enough to announce it on television last night."

And then he lost his.

* * *

Yashiro Yukihito was leafing through some paperwork and standard contracts as he walked through the maze-like hallways of the Dark Moon set.

Everything today was going according to schedule. That morning, Ren was in a modeling shoot and had a meeting with Matsushima-san. They managed to eat something decent and the rest of the afternoon was dedicated to Dark Moon, leaving Ren with a nice evening off before another round of strenuous activity for the movie shoot the following day.

It's been a stressful week for Ren – and all more for him, the one who had to babysit the busy actor. Ren is one of the most in-demand celebrities in Japan. It's only natural that more than a steady stream of work is being offered for him.

Of course, the nice part of today is that Ren gets to spend a lot of time with Kyoko-chan. The young actress' infectious smile seems to be the dose of happy juice Ren needs. Even if it means that they generally do nothing but sit down, not talk and keep each other company. Somehow, that would pretty much make them the most boring couple in the world. But no matter! Ren was happy… Kyoko-chan likes being around Ren… and his job has just been–

"Eh? Really?" one of the actresses exclaimed from inside the common make-up room.

"Yes!" answered another. "Last night on channel 4. When he described her, it sounded awfully a lot like Kyoko-chan."

The name made Yukihito's ears perk up like a rabbit. He slowed the pace of his steps. It wasn't eavesdropping anyway since they were talking in such loud voices in a common area with the door open wide where a lot of people loiter around.

"Why would you think it'd be her?"

"Oh c'mon… how can you not think it was her? He came over that day here just to see her and in Karuizawa, they were seen having breakfast together by a lot of the staff. Heck, we were even there and saw it."

"I can't believe it… Fuwa Sho has a thing for Mio-the-evil-incarnate-sama???"

"Enough to announce it on television last night."

"Wha–? He actually said it was her?"

"Don't be stupid! Of course he didn't. Fuwa Sho's fanbase is generally female! He can't declare himself as good as unavailable and isolate them. But think about everything that he said and all the things we know, it all fits, right?"

"That's ture… That wouldn't help Kyoko-chan's image as well."

That Fuwa… Yukihito thought frantically. That idiot! Either he was very bored during that interview to answer with such honesty or Akatori Agency is the dumbest place in the world not giving him the proper image training! Whatever happened to the standard love life question answer??? The only smart thing he ever did was not to mention her name! Good thing too! Kyoko-chan is just starting her career!

When he got to the non-existent door of the waiting area where Ren and Kyoko-chan were hanging out, it was pretty obvious that they also overheard the conversation in the make-up room. Yukihito panicked.

"That miserable idiot!" Kyoko-chan banged her fists on the table. Her face was red with fury. "He's tormenting me! He's doing all this just to torment me! If I ever see that asshole again…"

"What?" Ren crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her. "You think that losing your temper will solve anything?"

"Of course! It makes me feel a whole lot better…" Kyoko-chan was about to continue her litany of curses for Fuwa Sho when the assistant director came from behind Yukihito and called out, "Tsuruga-kun, Kyoko-chan, we're ready for you two now!"

Yukihito watched helplessly as the two just stared at each other for a couple of seconds, before breaking the eye contact and started walking out of the waiting room onto their scene. As they went passed him, he wildly thought. These two can't just not talk about it! They're both clearly angry! This is not going to be good for the shoot!!!

* * *

Director Ogata leaned back against his chair and waited for the scene to start. It was a critical turning point in the story of Dark Moon – the scene where Katsuki chases after Mio and finally confronts her about all the trouble that she has been causing. Director Ogata is not really worried about it. Kyoko-chan and Tsuruga-kun has already proven themselves to be able to play the roles to perfection so he knew that the darkness of the two characters that were needed for the scene would be delivered. And so this is how the rest of the day went…

Six minutes later after the start of the scene, when Mio delivered the line that she hated Katsuki and wished he would just disappear from the world, something snapped and the murderous, hate-filled aura emitted from the two actors only increased.

One minute later, Director Ogata started having problems breathing and fainted.

Two minutes later, he was revived with the strong smell of a cotton ball soaked in ammonia.

Five minutes later, he admitted that he was overpowered by the intense darkness that Mio and Katsuki were emitting in the scene. He apologized for worrying everyone.

Fifteen minutes later, they resumed the scene for a second take, but Director Ogata already knew that he was only going to use the last fourth of this take and tie it up to the first three-fourths of the first one. That kind of hate-filled intensity is almost never replicated by anyone.

Two minutes later, Director Ogata realizes that those two are the scariest actors he has ever encountered. They were doing at even a better job at letting out the darkness of Mio and Katsuki.

One minute later, he started having problems breathing again. But he caught himself this time.

Twelve minutes later, the scene was good and Director Ogata had it printed.

Fifteen minutes later, on a scene with Momose-san, Tsuruga-kun was given an NG and was asked to take a break.

Sixteen minutes later, Kyoko-chan was given an NG for a scene with Iizuki-san and was asked to take a break.

Two and a half hours later, shooting for scenes that didn't require Mio or Katsuki are halfway complete. It took that long for Kyoko-chan and Tsuruga-kun to get the excess darkness inside them out. No one dared to come near either of them until then.

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**Chapter 1 Notes:**

- This is probably the longest chapter. A force of habit always requires me to put out all things to be resolved on the first chapter.

- That was too much drama for where I wanted to go… Next chapter is more light-hearted. That'll be up tomorrow. I don't usually like posting it per chapter, but I'm kinda busy with life so... I may not be motivated to finish it if I don't anchor at least the first chapter. Anyway, I hope everyone likes it.


	2. Chapter 2: Hizuri Kuon

**Chapter 2: Hizuri Kuon**

**Warning:** This chapter contains traces of cheese and marshmallows. Lots of them! And major text wall ahead!

**Disclaimer:** Between now (posting this chapter) and yesterday (posting chapter 1), I still don't own Skip Beat!

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Ren pulled over the Daruma-ya and looked at the clock on the car's dashboard. It was almost 1:30 in the morning. The Dark Moon shoot lasted late into the night, passed the scheduled end.

He and Yukihito-san insisted on bringing Mogami-san home since the trains stopped running and her mentioning about just calling a taxi to bring her home.

After the short argument that the two of them before the scene, they never talked about it again. Yukihito-san was thankful that it seemed that she has finally calmed down. But Ren knew that like him, she spent the last three hours after their scene together thinking about it. Mogami-san's obsessive nature won't let her not think about it.

He sensed that Yukihito-san was nervous the entire ride and just talked about other things other than what happened that day on the set.

He knew what Fuwa was up to. He knew all too well what the challenge he shot at him that day in the stairwell in Karuizawa entailed. Now that he's going to be leaving for a movie shoot for a week, he might make some kind of move and Ren isn't prepared, and wouldn't even be around, when that happens. From that moment in Karuizawa, he has always been careful not to mistake anything that the guy might do if it involved her. But he hasn't done anything either since that day. Ren has buried it at the back of his mind and never gave it a second thought again. But she…

He turned to Mogami-san, who has fallen asleep once she moved to the passenger side after they dropped off Yukihito-san. Her head slightly turned away from him, facing on the door.

She, on the other hand, has probably been thinking about him everyday since that day. No… he corrected himself. She has been thinking about him everyday for the last seventeen years.

He tried to keep it in. He played the role she had painted on her mind about him – the rational senpai who tells her that her temper tantrum is not going to do her any good. Nothing productive ever came out if the two people in an argument were controlled by their tempers. But when she (as Mio) finally blurted out the lines about how she hated him (as Katsuki) and how he should just disappear from this world, something inside him snapped. And all his composure fell apart. How timely. Yes, Director Ogata and everyone praised him for his superb performance of the full extent of Dark Katsuki, but he didn't even think he was being Katsuki at the time.

Or maybe it was true what the President said before. That he is Katsuki.

Why does she still have the tendency to lose composure when it comes to him? Aren't all the time, effort, stress and pressure of being in their profession enough to exhaust her into forgetting him? Or does Fuwa really occupy that much space in her mind?

"Mogami-san," he softly called out, touching her shoulder. "We're here." Then he pulled back his hand away from her. Hot! He slowly reached out to touch her forehead. The fever she was talking about earlier on the set! Didn't she take medicine for that already?

"Mogami-san?" he lightly shook her shoulder. And the only response he got was her mumbling incoherently as she shifted her head.

Sure, he was relieved that she was still moving, but she was out cold. What was he going to do?

He turned his head to the Daruma-ya and remembered that she told him that there's no one home. He contemplated whether he should just carry her inside and leave her in the living room… or her bedroom or should he stay and look after her. Hold on… the place is a restaurant. Did they even have a living room? Where was her bedroom? He wondered as he stared at the second floor windows. And after he brings her in? Then what? Where is the first aid kit and all the things he could use to look after a sick person kept?

His thoughts flew to the second cabinet in the bathroom in his apartment where he stored the things she bought when he was sick from the time she was acting as his temporary manager.

Without a second thought, he started the car and drove off.

* * *

The buzzing sound made her slowly come to the world of the awake. She shut her eyes tight, wanting to close them again to revive the nice dreams she was having about her childhood in the forest. But the buzzing persisted and her brain was slowly forced to wake up. Only then did the buzzing stop. Crap, now she can't go back to sleep. So she opened and her eyes and touched her forehead and felt a strip of cool pack on her forehead. How did this happen? she wondered.

After failing to remember, she turned to the side and met Tsuruga Ren's sleepy eyes, looking back at her from the other bed bundled in a thick blanket. "Good morning," he said sleepily.

"Tsu-Tsuruga-san!" She shot up to a sitting position as she suddenly realized where she actually was. Instinctively, she pulled the blanket to her chest.

"What's with that reaction?" he glared at her. Then he moved to sit up. "If I was going to do anything funny, I wouldn't be sleeping on this bed, right?" Kyoko realized that they were both still wearing the clothes they had on last night. And he was suddenly on his feet, bending down to feel her neck. "Your fever's gone. That's good." He straightened up and started for the door. "Come on… wash your face, fix your things and I'll drive you home on my way to the airport when Yukihito-san gets here."

Kyoko got out of bed and gathered fixing her things wondering how on earth did she ended up here. She remembered Tsuruga-san volunteering to drive her home.

She took her purse and walked into the bathroom and started by emptying the water bag Tsuruga-san undoubtedly placed under her head last night. After a short drive to Yukihito-san's place, she started feeling really sleepy.

After that, she really doesn't remember anything. She ran the water on the sink and started scrubbing her face. The next thing she knew, she was waking up seeing him on the other bed, looking at her. She rinsed and patted her face dry with a towel set on the cabinets. How on earth can anyone wake up looking that perfect in an ungodly hour in the morning? she thought, frowning at her own face. It kinda pisses her off.

She dug in her purse for her toothbrush and something fell off. She sighed as she bent down to pick up the pack of medicine that she bought yesterday. The words only caught her eye and she read it again: 'Side Effects: Drowsiness, Sleepiness, and Slight Hallucinations.'

"What the hell!?!" she exclaimed. That stupid pharmacist gave her the wrong kind of medicine. She specifically mentioned that she didn't want anything that will make her sleepy! What kind of pro is he??? She was about to crumple the medicine in her hand, but caught herself and just went on to brush her teeth.

She ran through her own schedule for the day in her head. She didn't have school today but she had loads of work to last her until late in the evening – At least, it won't be so occupied about that idiot Shotaro's antics the other day.

She stopped in the middle of gargling and realized that she hasn't apologized to Tsuruga-san about the incident yesterday. She knew that he was angry. Her rage weapons bounced like rubber balls around the waiting area.

She stepped out of the bathroom and walked to the general direction of the kitchen to prepare something to eat. She was surprised to see Tsuruga-san scrapping something onto a plate from the pan.

"Tsuruga-san!" She straightened up.

He looked at her with an incredulous look his face. "What is it?"

"I want to thank you for taking care of me last night," she gave a low bow. She retained the position as she added, "I also want to apologize for my behavior yesterday at the Dark Moon set."

"Why are you apologizing for that?"

"Huh?" Kyoko raised her head.

"It's not like it's your fault, right? You're probably right. He's just trying to cause trouble. It's not like you've done anything to encourage what he did, right?" He cleared his throat before handing her one of the plates. "Can you help set the table?"

And there he goes again… Being mature and all that. But why was he taking this so lightly? she thought as she walked over to him to take the plate. When he found out about Sho in Karuizawa, she literally had nightmares about it. But since he's not inclined to talk about the issue and Kyoko was only mentioning it because he's the type who wants everything explained to him properly without any lies, she was grateful to his reaction.

"Fried eggs and miso soup?" she looked up at him.

"There's bread too," Ren pointed out to a basket of jars set beside the bread. "And a lot of jams – I got them as a present. I made the miso soup because you might have a hard time swallowing solids. It's my specialty too."

Kyoko giggled, setting down the plates on the table and he followed with the basket. "It's not a cold, Tsuruga-san. It was just a 24-hour bug and I ended up getting the medicine that had side effects of drowsiness. Anyway, I'm feeling much better." She sat down on the floor and said her table prayer and he followed suit.

She gingerly grabbing the small bowl of miso soup and took a sip. Then stopped. S-salty. Slowly, she gulped down the salt water she just put in her mouth. "Tsuruga-san?"

"Mmm?"

"You specialty?" she tried to smile, but she knew she's probably grimacing. "It doesn't happen to be boiled water, is it?"

"How'd you know?" The corners of his mouth turned slightly upward.

Because she's tasted this stuff before… Having grown up in a traditional inn where everything is traditionally prepared, she and Shotaro hated the taste of instant miso soup because it didn't taste anything like the real thing. After that, she just buys actual miso and makes it from scratch with soft tofu and spring onions. And frankly, she prefers clear soup to miso. But she couldn't tell Tsuruga-san that. "Umm… it has a really unique taste to it," she said as she reached for the glass of water set on the table.

Ren laughed. "Well, I did say it was my specialty. Even I can boil water and open a packet of instant miso soup."

He was playing around with her. "Tsuruga-san…" she glared at him as she picked up her fork and took a piece of slightly overcooked fried egg. "I certainly hope that you don't eat this kind of stuff too much."

"Of course I don't," he chuckled.

"Because you've been skipping a lot, haven't you?" When he looked away and didn't answer, she gave him a sideways glance and saw him spreading peanut butter, strawberry jam then indiscriminately putting the egg on it as he read through what looked like his schedule for the day.

Suddenly, she suddenly remembered the time a couple of months ago when she was having breakfast with Kuu-otou-sama and how she as Kuon accidentally-on-purpose ruined breakfast because she thought Kuon is not the type of person who knows how to cook. But since Kuu-otou-sama liked delicious food, he would generally eat anything. Somehow, with what she was seeing so far, Tsuruga-san is a lot like the image of Kuon she made in her mind.

Then again, despite being an actor to look up to and be at par with, she knew that behind that Perfect Guy façade of his, there was a terrifying temper and silly side– prone to making silly mistakes and being able to laugh about it.

But unlike Kuon whose is constantly childish and playful, Tsuruga-san only shows that side of him to her when he's toying around with her because he's bored.

Unlike Kuon who has a genuine smile on his face, Tsuruga-san has a fake gentlemanly smile that blinds her darkened heart because underneath is a mask of temper that seemed to be shown to her when he bullies her.

Unlike Kuon whose smile gradually faded through the years… Maybe he would have ended up like Tsuruga-san who keeps up appearances and never reveals his true nature because not a lot of people would probably have accepted him as he is… That sounded a little sad.

She put the fork in her mouth and stopped at the bland taste. With supreme effort, she tried to chew the rubbery egg white and there was a distinct crunch that even made Tsuruga-san look up at her.

"Ah…" Tsuruga-san gripped the edge of the table and he leaned a little towards her with an apologetic look on his face. "That is…"

"Calcium," she said as she gave him a smile. "Kuu-otou-sama once told me that there's calcium on eggshells." She continued chewing. "It's good for the bones."

He sat right back and sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm not much of a cook."

"Nnn-hmm," she shook her head, smiling as she reached out for the saltshaker. "Actually, I really want to thank you for preparing me breakfast. I could have done that by myself though."

"Don't be ridiculous," he said. "No way I would let a sick girl cook no matter how good she is at it."

"And you didn't have to stay in the guest bedroom too since this is your place anyway."

"Oh really?" he looked at her. "And who was it who told me not to leave while she was sleeping?"

She didn't know if he was lying or not. Because of his expression, she was inclined to believe him but no one has ever told her she talked in her sleep before. They just sat there for a couple of minutes, staring at each other in silence. Then they burst out laughing.

* * *

"Kyaaah~!" Yukihito-san exclaimed at the sight of Kyoko-chan in the kitchen, drying the dishes.

"Kyaaah???" Identical looks of bewilderment on his reaction appeared on Ren and Kyoko-chan's faces in perfect synchronization. Yukihito watched as their faces came to full realization behind his reaction. Ah… they turned to stone.

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**Chapter 2 Notes**:

- This chapter has lots of references to the Hizuri Kuu Arc. While it's fine to read it as it, knowledge of the arc would make things make more sense.

- And yes, it was specifically illustrated in Chapter 127 of the manga that there are two beds in the guest room. (See Skip Beat! Chapter 127 Page 28)

- And yes, I lied when I said that succeeding chapters after the first one will not be as long since there's only a 200++ word difference. It's still long. ;_;

- This is nothing more than KyoRen fluff. It's disgusting. Sorry… I'm not really into cheesy things and I tried to tone it down the best I can - standard is that I'm not getting hives just writing it. This chapter will be the end of all that mushy stuff though. I just needed to get it out of my system. I promise! If I didn't, the rest of the story would sound like this.

- By the way, thank you to **DemonicHime **(read the vie ghoul arc!!! one my favorite arcs in SB!), **Kiyoka Kurosawa**, **lifeishawesome **(the answers to your questions... i'm not yet sure. i know how it's going to end, but i'm not yet sure how to it's going to go in the middle), **mangaddict300**, and **Kay **for their reviews of the first chapter.

- Next chapter will be up in a couple of days. ^^


	3. Chapter 3: BJ

**Chapter 3: BJ**

**Disclaimer: **Me still no own Skip Beat. If I did, I would bring Ren back in the manga already!

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The backlash of Fuwa Sho's announcement that he's 'smittened' by some actress filled some heavy discussion on forums and blogs dedicated to him. There are some who are in despair but most gush about how nice it was that 'Sho-tan' has a romantic side along with some heavy speculation about the identity of the actress.

Sho was actually quite glad about how things were going. He is being talked about now – fans, show business gossips programs and an entertainment reporter asking him about the actress that he liked.

Of course, considering that he's hot property in Akatori Agency whose fanbase was primarily single, teenage females and even though his latest album has been getting him a wider audience, he received quite a scolding from the higher-ups about doing something unprecedented like that. Of course, he had to defend himself by saying that it was his life and he can do whatever he wanted. Then he had to endure another half-hour of lectures about today's entertainment industry and how celebrities are being marketed to the public as a package. It doesn't matter how talented he was a musician – if the fans lose their love for the image that is Fuwa Sho, he won't be able to sell anymore albums. And that would have been a waste of his talent.

Of course, he knew that. He's not stupid. Apart from creating music that had rave reviews critics gave him, he loved the attention that his fans gave him. Wasn't that why he walked out on his parents to run off to Tokyo for?

So he was made to promise to inform, at the very least his manager, if he was going to be doing anything of the sort again. So at least, Akatori would know how to spin it in such a way that it wouldn't ruin his career or image that they can do something about it in order for him to have a peaceful relationship with whatever girl he's after. And considering that the girl is also a celebrity, he should have been thinking about her welfare too. Spin it? This was his personal life! And he was thinking about her. That's why he never said her name.

It's not even that he's going to be doing anything about it. He's not exactly going to be running around Tokyo following Kyoko around with a bouquet of flowers, serenading her love songs. In addition to it not fitting his image, he knew very well how Kyoko would react to them.

After all, she's no longer the sweet little doormat that he brought to Tokyo – he wouldn't have been able to live with another version of his mother. Which is why he started looking at her in a totally different light when she charged him in the dressing room in TBM Studios when she confronted him about those plagiaristic idiots Vie Ghoul. She came to him like a cute little girl, but was bursting with confidence and rage. The words were different but it was the same girl – the same girl who knows him best just as much as he was guy who knows her best.

Now is nowhere near the time where they would finally settle their feelings for one another. She's not going to be swayed with his real feelings for her.

The purpose of that thing with the interview and the scolding that he endured were just merely to re-establish is position in her heart. He didn't really want to torment her but until the time comes when she's ready to face him because she has reached the top, he can't let anyone have that spot.

He sat down on his couch and turned on the TV and saw a wide shot of Kyoko, sitting in a karaoke box couch, her arms and legs crossed to reveal a gleeful but cold smile as the camera slowly panned to her face. "You were good there," she said. "Absolutely wonderful."

Seriously??? All this beauty was underneath that unattractive girl who doesn't even wear make-up? Under that raggly tomboy in a blinding pink uniform that came to his PV shoot for 'Prisoner'? Under that scary witch in Karuizawa? Was this pretty, confident Kyoko the result of attention she was getting from that jerk Tsuruga Ren? Has that moron been putting his hands on what belongs to him???

He made a grab for his phone. When the answer came through… "Shoko?" he started. "It's me. I want to know what studio Box 'R' is being shot."

* * *

"I don't like it," Yukihito frowned at him, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned back against the chair.

"Huh?" Ren blinked and looked down at the beer he just set on the table. "You always drink this. Should I get a different one?"

"How can you live with yourself leaving Kyoko-chan just like that in Tokyo?"

"Yukihito-san," Ren answered, knowing where the direction was headed and tried to avoid it. Again. For the last four days. "We properly dropped Mogami-san off and waited for her to get inside her place before leaving. Her body temperature was normal. She checked. It's not like we kicked her off the car onto the side of the road while the car was still running and drove off."

"No," Yukihito-san pushed back his glasses. "I won't let you avoid it this time. I'm wondering why you didn't at least do something about the Fuwa Sho problem."

"What Fuwa Sho problem? There is no Fuwa Sho problem. If there is, that's his problem. Not Mogami-san's. Not mine."

"Are you in denial?" his manager freaked. "Ren, I hate to tell you this. But someday, Kyoko-chan will no longer be there for you."

No longer… there???

"She's an extremely talented and hard working actress who is growing prettier and more confident everyday. She is getting more and more exposure and attention," Yukihito reached for the can of beer and opened it.

"Isn't that good? That's the basic thing about being in the entertainment industry, isn't it? More so for her since she's in the Love Me Section."

Yukihito-san ignored his attempt on a change in topic. "Right now, I can still play around your schedule just so you can see her on days when she's in LME because she's not as busy as you," Yukihito-san scolded. Ren looked up at him. He's been doing that deliberately? "But one day, she will be as busy as you and even I will not be able to find chances for you two. Why aren't you exploiting the advantageous position you are in right now?"

"What advantageous position?" Ren asked bewilderedly. If he was lucky, he sees her once in a week not counting Dark Moon shoots – no, luck had nothing to do with it. It was an orchestrated show ran by his own manager. She runs to him only when needs advice on acting – a craft she was so dedicated to that she stands outside his building until two in the morning in the middle of winter. She never turns to him whenever she has personal problems – even to the point when she's scared beyond anything, she never tells him. She only worries about him when she has caused him inconvenience. She's doesn't even treat him like a friend, only as a highly regarded senpai who will give her a proper scolding when she feels like she's being a brat. How is that an advantage?

"The position where you are the only guy who occupies her time and whose opinions she values!" He exasperatedly leaned back and took a sip of the beer. "You might think that all she sees you as right now is a senpai, but that can and will change if you let it."

"So what are you saying?" Ren said, opening his own can of beer. "That I should have dropped all the work I have this week and start following a high school girl around like some weird stalker?"

"You know I didn't mean that," Yukihito-san stared at him. "Sooner or later, if you don't make a move, she might end up looking at you like a brother. And one day, when she finally gets herself a boyfriend, you will be introduced as a father."

"A father?" How the hell did the conversation turn to this?

"That's right. A father," he said, setting the beer on the table. "You guided her, taken care of her, spoiled her, doted on her… Someday, some guy will come and would want to do those things in your place. And you'll end up being the scary father who will always find fault and never approve of that guy. All because you don't believe that anyone in this world is good enough for your precious girl other than you."

"Oh really?" Ren said in a non-committal tone, lifting the remote control to switch on the TV to make the point that the conversation is over. It was a long day of shooting and he just spent 30 minutes in the shower just to calm himself down. It's good that starting tomorrow, he would have another week off this shoot to return to the normalcy that being Tsuruga Ren is. Keeping up the air of mystery, unlike in other projects he has worked on, he did not spend time in the hotel bar with the other actors. He was only glad Yukihito-san was there to hang around with. He would have gone insane if he was just left alone. But with Yukihito-san's current obsession with Mogami-san and Fuwa, he's starting to regret inviting him to his room for a drink.

He clicked on the power button and the first thing they see is a wide shot of Mogami-san, sitting in a karaoke box couch, her arms and legs crossed to reveal a gleeful but cold smile as the camera slowly panned to her face. "You were good there," she said. "Absolutely wonderful."

The demonic icicle they were seeing was not the Mogami-san that they knew, but Ren and Yukihito-san have already seen a worse episode – or perhaps they have already gotten over the shock of what kind of character Natsu really is. But demonic icicle or not, it doesn't alter the fact that Mogami-san on the screen was mesmerizingly beautiful. Even when she was knocked out by her medication, she looked like a peaceful angel. He couldn't leave her alone so he ended up on the other bed and stayed there until he was lulled to sleep.

Yukihito-san narrowed his eyes at the screen. "What did I tell you? Prettier and more confident everyday and getting more and more exposure… I hope you're the type who can wait in line when all the guys start paying attention to her. And I'm not just talking about Fuwa Sho. You don't honestly believe that a seventeen-year old who still believes in fairies will close her heart forever for the sake of some idiot who was never good enough for her in the first place."

* * *

"Natsu!" Kaori called out to her as she sat on her desk.

"What is it, Kaori?" Natsu leaned toward her.

They were seated in the 'classroom' waiting for the scene to be prepared and for Marumi-chan to return from costume and make-up. Everyone was just hanging around, joking. Of course, as though a scene was running, no one came near Natsu because they fear her wrath. Especially with what happened earlier in the shoot before she arrived.

Natsu was fuming because she was scolded by the director, telling her not to encourage any visitors on set after being informed that when she arrived this afternoon that Fuwa Sho came on set looking for her the day before. She didn't even have for a scheduled shoot yesterday. She wished that she had been there when he came by. He would have been shown firsthand what Level 5 really means.

"Did you see this?" Kaori held out her phone to her.

"What is it?" Natsu stared at her phone, which was opened to an Internet streamed video. Any diversion is diversion after all. She was supposed to be a good girl in the next scene.

"It's a leak of the movie that they're releasing at the end of the year," she smiled as she scrolled it to start the video again for her. "It's in one of the movie blogs. It's about a murder mystery centering at a serial killer."

Someone nearby muttered, "Thanks a lot for giving her more ideas, Makino-san."

The screen was small and the video quality was bad – it was dim and obviously taken with a camera phone, but Natsu can see the silhouette of the actor with a vague (due to video quality) look of cold, hard steel as he took the victim's life and felt the aura of menace from him. "What do you know about this movie?" she asked wanting to know. She was enthralled by what she was seeing.

"There isn't much information about it," Kaori shrugged. "There isn't even an announced title for it yet. All the blog said is that it's a movie about a serial killer named BJ and how he wreaks havoc all over Tokyo. Even the actor who plays him is being kept under wraps under the name 'Actor X'."

"BJ…" Natsu chinked her eyes with her smile as she repeated the video. "I like him. A Level 6."

"Huh?" Kaori exclaimed in surprise. "We only go up to Level 5."

Natsu gave her friend a sweet smile. "That's because no one gets killed." Then she turned back to the video.

"Crap," someone muttered from behind them whispered.

"O-oh? Really?" Kaori nervously laughed.

"I'm joking, Kaori."

"Yes, well… of course you are," she straightened up. "You seemed to be really into that video. You like him?"

Natsu gave her a surprised look. "How could you not?" she turned back to the small screen and smiled. "He's hot and he's… sexy," she said as she tapped a fingernail on the screen.

"Ooh... then Natsu has a crush!"

"Can't I?"

"Alright, everyone!" the assistant director called their attention. "While we're waiting for Marumi-chan. I'd like to announce that we're going to be shooting the class trip episode next week," he announced. "We leave Tuesday and will stay there until Sunday. All underaged actors, please have the permission slips from your parents and guardians in before Wednesday."

"Where's the shoot going to be?" Kaori asked.

"Kyoto."

While a lot of the cast members were ecstatic, some of the younger cast gave hisses and boos.

"Eh? Why Kyoto? Can't we just have a beach class trip?"

"Or an onsen?"

"Yeah!" one of the boys called out. "I want to see Marumi-chan in a bathing suit!"

"Eeh? Why me?" Marumi-san cried out as she walked in the set.

"Quiet!" the director said. "This is a class trip episode. Class trip equals educational."

"Kyoto, Natsu!" Kaori turned to her. "We're going to Kyoto! I've never been there before!"

Natsu just continued to look at the phone's video, still looking at the brutal slaying. Observation and recording are essential skills of an actor after all. But not for Natsu. She would never do anything this messy.

But at the back of her mind, she was thinking… Going to Kyoto? It seems like a lot of fun. After all, it is the place where she grew up.

* * *

Later, when Natsu's soul loitered around as Kyoko dressed up in her Bo costume for Kimagure Rock, a new message came through her phone. She read and narrowed her eyes. She immediately opened a new message. 'Tsuruga-san,' she typed. 'I think you sent it to the wrong number but I hope to see you soon too.' Once she sent it, she moved to delete the wrongly sent message when the assistant director peeked in the door. "Kyoko-chan! The guest is ready!"

"OK!" she exclaimed, setting the mobile phone into her purse and she grabbed Bo's head and headed for the guest dressing rooms.

-----------------------------------

**Chapter 3 Notes:**

- I call it a filler chapter. Especially since nothing's known about BJ yet – except for the fact that he's a serial killer in a movie filled with darkness – and I didn't want to make any other assumptions. But I had to write about him because… well, he is one of the men in Kyoko's life. ^▽^ This is what I get for posting it per chapter before finishing it. I already declared it seven guys. Crap, now I have to fulfill the obligation.

- I'm not doing any better in terms of word count for this chapter either. Oh well...

- I also highlighted the word four up there because I have to establish the timeline well enough.

- In my head, especially how Chapter 135 of the manga ended up being, I think that Natsu is going to like BJ very, very much. I still have to know how normal Kyoko would react to BJ. However, if I'm wrong, boo-hoo to me. This is fanfiction anyway.

- Again, thanks to all who sent in their reviews: **DemonicHime **(lol... I thought you're one of those people who still haven't read the manga and is living off the anime. anyway, false sourires already wrote something about that. if i did that, that would be plaigarism.), **mangaddict300**, **miss_understood777**, **Devilshduck **(and who said this is going to be a kyoko X ren story? XD), **stice73** (really??? you think so??? i'm just making it all up as I go along.) Also thanks to everyone who have placed alerts on this story (and there's a lot of you guys) - Now I'm feeling the pressure.

- The new chapter will be up in a couple of days again. Three days at most. Promise that the story will really be rolling by then... o/


	4. Chapter 4: The Emperor of the Night

**Chapter 4: The Emperor of the Night  
**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Skip Beat! If I did, it would have this much drama in it. ^_^

-----------------------------------

"Man… So boring today!" Kijima-san declared, sitting down on a vacant metal chair beside Ren. "Not enough girls."

"They're mostly at school," Ren good-naturedly answered, referring to some of the actors scheduled to come in. "It is a weekday. Anyway, everyone will be here within the hour."

"I guess…" Kijima-san stretched his arms over and rested them behind his head. Then leaned towards him. "Hey, Tsuruga-kun, have you and Kyoko-san made up?"

"What do you mean?"

"What you mean 'what do I mean'?" Kijima-san turned to him. "That scene between the two of you from last week. Everyone's still talking about it. Made everyone wonder if the happy senpai-kouhai pair is not so happy anymore."

"There was no reason for the two of us to fight," Ren shrugged, looking back at the script re-write he was handed earlier.

"So all that was just the two of you acting???" Kijima-san was starting to be annoying. Ren mentally hoped for something - anything to come up so the topic of discussion wouldn't continue. Kijima-san groaned. "That's so annoying! The two of you are too good at it." Then a ruckus came from the general direction of the studio lot doors. Kijima-san turned his head to the source asked, "What's with that noise?"

Yoshiko-san came running passed them to her friends chanting, "He's here! He's here! Fuwa Sho's here!"

Ren mentally noted that the next time he hoped for something to come up, he should be more specific about it like flying pigs or UFOs attacking. His head snapped to the doors and saw the musician standing by the door, arguing with security.

"Oh my god!" one of Yoshiko's friend exclaimed. "So it's true! Fuwa Sho's really after Kyoko-chan!"

"How boring! She's not even here."

"What's that guy doing here again?" Kijima-san scoffed. "I thought it'd be a couple of more onlooker chicks." But Ren didn't even hear him. He slowly came to his feet and walked passed the actor. "Tsuruga-kun?"

Once he reached the doors in asked in a loud voice, "What's going on here?"

"Ah, Tsuruga-san," the guard said. "We were just explaining to Fuwa-san that Kyoko-san is not here and that we are a closed set today–"

"Oh? Is that so?" Ren turned his attention to Fuwa, turning on his gracious smile. "Fuwa-kun, as the guard explained, Mogami-san is currently not here. And you're disrupting a closed set so whatever it is you need with her, kindly do it in private time."

Fuwa smirked. "Mogami-san?" He said slowly with a sly smile on his face. "You're really taking your sweet time, aren't you, Tsuruga? Still calling Kyoko Mogami-san?"

Ren fought back the urge to bite on his verbal bait. "Mogami-san is still at school. You don't know where that is, do you? Otherwise, you'd be waiting for her there and not taking your chances by studio hopping, wouldn't you?" He glared at him for a fraction of a second before reverting back to his usual smile. "But as what's said. She's not here right now and we are on a closed set. It would be much more convenient, wouldn't it? If you knew her schedule like I do."

He distinctly heard him curse under his breath before turning around to leave. "I'll come back another time," he said, his back turned to him. "Or maybe I should just follow your advice and just do it in my private time." Ren watched as he walked away.

"I'm really sorry, Tsuruga-san," the guard bowed apologetically. "He was really being persistent about staying to wait."

"No problem," was all he answered before returning to his chair. He picked up the script, reading the same line over and over again.

"That was amazing, Tsuruga-kun," Kijima-san gave a short applause. "I don't know what you told him, but I'm impressed. You were able to chase of that annoying guy with a couple of sentences."

"You find him annoying too?"

"Of course," Kijima-san smiled. "How could you not? Everytime that guy's around, the girls get riled up. Like that guy was emitting some kind of weird pheromone." He leaned back against the chair then picked up his own copy of the re-written script and started reading.

Finally, some peace and quiet…

"Huaaah…" Kijima-san exclaimed a couple of seconds later. "Is that Kyoko-san?"

Ren looked up and saw Mogami-san walking into the studio lot. He was expecting her to be in her school uniform or her Love Me Uniform, but she was dressed casually in a short sundress that accented her figure and made her legs seem longer because of it's lack of length. Her hair was stylishly held back from her face by several silver pins and the Princess Rosa pendant hung low around her neck.

She met his eyes and walked towards him. Her step was different too, he noted. More defined and upbeat with high-heeled wedge shoes, making the dress flow. She was like a very happy, carefree girl. But once she stopped in front of them, she gave her usual formal bow. "Good afternoon, Tsuruga-san, Kijima-san."

"Good afternoon, Kyoko-_chan_," Kijima-san rested his chin on his fist. "You look really pretty today. I thought you'd be coming from school." He chuckled. "Could it be that you skipped school and went on a date?" Kijima-san said in a flirty tone.

"N-no!" She blushed prettily. "The school is preparing for a school festival and the Performing Arts Department is not part of it because everyone is so busy so we didn't come to school so I just spent the day in the LME Actors Training School. I just felt like dressing up because I had lunch with my best friend."

"Oh?" Kijima-san smiled charmingly. "Then would you want to go out on a date with me after the shoot?"

The pretty girl look was wasted on her as she looked at him as though he just crawled out of a slimy pit. "No thanks. I have things to do tonight like… make doll clothes."

"Ooh! Turned down for a bunch of dolls," Kijima exaggeratedly said. Then he chuckled and raised a hand to her. "I'll see you later, Kyoko-san."

"I'll see you later, Kijima-san, Tsuruga-san." She bowed again. Then turned around to head for the make-up room.

"Tsuruga-kun," Kijima-san leaned back at him, but his eyes still trailing Mogami-san. "She's your kouhai and you're close. You should have her number, right?"

Ren raised an eyebrow at him. "And why on earth would I tell you that?"

"Such an over-protective senpai," Kijima-san commented. "You're not her father, you know."

* * *

"What???" Kyoko raised an eyebrow at the cluster of girls that flocked around her in the make-up room.

"I said," Yoshiko-san asked. "Are you and Fuwa Sho close?"

Goosebumps ran up and down Kyoko's arms. "No, we're not."

"But," Momose-san pointed out. "You told me before in Karuizawa that you two are childhood friends."

"I used that term loosely!" Kyoko cried out.

"Kyoko-chan," the make-up artist smiled. "Your face. Your face."

"Really?" one of the actresses gushed. "How romantic. Childhood friends."

"Look," she said at the point of impatience. "I have nothing to do with whatever he did on that interview. I haven't even seen him since we came back from Karuizawa." Which is why her life has been relatively peaceful since that time making her able to just concentrate on work, she mentally added.

"Yes, he did say that," Yoshiko-san nodded. "But I think he's going to be after you now since he was here earlier."

"What?" She whipped her head towards Yoshiko-san.

"Kyoko-chan, please keep your head still." the make-up artist reminded her and she immediately obeyed, looking straight ahead but her eyes on Yoshiko-san.

"Yep," Yoshiko-san said. "But Tsuruga-kun chased him off. Such a shame since it would have been nice if the two of you had a cute little reunion."

She was simply horrified at the thought that anyone could think it would be 'romantic'. She really didn't want to have to explain herself – especially to people who see it as some sort of 'romantic love story' who she isn't even that close to. Plus the fact that she caused Tsuruga-san the inconvenience of chasing the idiot away! She wasn't ready to face Shotaro. She vowed to herself that the next time they see each other, she would be ready to defeat him like he challenged that day in the stairwell in Karuizawa.

There was a light knock on the door. "Ladies!" the assistant director called from the other side. "We're going to be shooting scene 62 next!"

"OK!" the girls called back.

"We'll get the details out of you later, Kyoko-chan," Yoshiko giggled, as they filed out of the make-up room.

The scar was completed rather quickly once the girls left. After getting into wardrobe, she peeked at the set and realized that she had time to spare. So she headed for the makeshift pantry to get tea from the vending machine.

Stupid Shotaro! Stupid TV interviewer that started all of this! Stupid Shotaro! Stupid girls who can't find anything better to do but to talk about her! Stupid Shotaro! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! She stomped the floor.

The only one who really understood was Tsuruga-san. But then again, he's the only one who actually really knows the whole deal between them and she didn't really want anyone else to know. She sighed, leaning against the vending machine. She was at least grateful that there is someone on her side. She twisted open the tea bottle cap and started to drink.

"Mogami-san?"

* * *

"Ah, Tsuruga-san," she smiled her usual sweet smile as she stood straight. "Yoshiko-san told me about what happened earlier." She bowed. "Thank you very much."

"Well, if I didn't, it would have bothered you a lot, wouldn't it?"

"Erm… yes, it would have," she tapped her index fingers together, looking up at him with a guilty look on her face. "But really, I apologize for making you have to chase him away for me. And… thank you. For always being on my side and always taking care of me." She gave a short laugh. "Sometimes I think I'm becoming too spoiled – always depending on you."

_You guided her, taken care of her, spoiled her, doted on her…_

"It's nothing," he smiled at her. "Didn't I tell you before that you can always rely on me when you can't protect yourself anymore?"

_Someday, some guy will come and would want to do those things in your place._

"Yes well… That aside, I'm still very grateful."

_But someday, Kyoko-chan will no longer be there for you._

"Don't worry about it. I don't think he'll be bothering you in the Dark Moon set anymore." He felt a certain level of satisfaction, knowing that he's been able to accomplish that. And yet, not completely.

_Would you like to go out on a date with me after the shoot?_

_I hope you're the type who can wait in line when all the guys start paying attention to her._

She let out a sigh of relief. "Now I'm starting to wish you're at the Box 'R' set too."

_You really are taking your sweet time, are you, Tsuruga?_

The triumphant look on Fuwa's face burned in his head. "He went to the Box 'R' set?" he narrowed his eyes and he felt his blood boil.

_Made everyone wonder if the happy senpai-kouhai pair is not so happy anymore._

"Er… um, yes. But I wasn't there when he came. But I got quite a scolding from the director since production has been very delayed right from the very beginning that he imposed a 'No Visitors' rule a long time ago," she said indignantly.

_No one is good enough for your precious girl other than you._

"Tsuruga-san?" she looked up at him as he stalked towards her. She was clearly startled when he banged his hands against the vending machine, trapping her between her on all three sides as he bent down to level his face with hers.

_…you are the only guy who occupies her time and whose opinions she values…_

"He was there?" he asked, knowing that his voice was sounding menancing. He can't help it. He doesn't want him anywhere near her.

"N-now, d-don't get angry," she stuttered. "Like I said, I wasn't even there."

"And?" He inched his face closer to her. Right now, the only thing he was really seeing are her eyes and the only thing he can feel is her warm breath against his. "What if next time you are?"

"Eh?" she answered nervously, leaning back against the vending machine. "I never really thought about that. But, I'm really determined not to let him bother me anymore!"

_Why aren't you exploiting the advantageous position you are in right now?_

She still doesn't get it. The mere mention of his name makes her lose it. Fuwa still holds so much influence about how she thinks, acts and move, making him realize all over again how little hold he has on her. He needed something to reassure himself that she's not going to slip away from him. That somewhere inside of her heart, there would be room for him.

"Um… Tsuruga-san?"

_If you don't make a move…_

"What is it?" His mouth only a hairsbreadth away from her as he slowly moved closer when he felt her hands run up his chest as she bunched his shirt before shoving him away. The force was strong enough that he staggered a couple of steps back.

He snapped his head and saw her looking at him with a flushed face and wide eyes. "Tsuruga-san," she panted, hugging the tea bottle like a lifeline. "I know today is when you shoot that big romantic, kissing scene between Katsuki and Mizuki. If you're feeling that nervous about it, please don't take it out on me!"

* * *

That was a shock.

Kyoko was sitting down on one of the crates just outside the side door trying to cool herself down.

At first, she thought that she was meeting the Demon Lord. He was clearly angry when he found out Shotaro was also at the Box "R" set. But he only too quickly turned into The Emperor of the Night. It was so scary!!! After all this time, she's still didn't know how to handle that guy and because she panicked the only thing she could come up with was the shoot. Her heart and pulse are still racing and her face was still hot from that terrifying experience. Even her rage weapons couldn't come out because… why didn't her rage weapons come out?

Yeah sure, he apologized for it saying that he didn't know what he was doing. But she hopes that she never sees The Emperor of the Night again! That man shakes the walls that surrounded her black heart. With fear no doubt! It was so terrifying! She was still shaking inside.

"Kyoko-chan?"

Kyoko turned to see Yashiro-san walking towards her. "Ah, Yashiro-san."

"What's wrong?" He sat down beside her. "Are you still worrying about what happened this earlier with your unwanted visitor?"

"No," she grumbled. "It has nothing to do with that."

"Then what is it?"

"Tsuruga-san's been bullying me again," she mumbled.

"Well…." He let out a small laugh. "Ren has been pretty stressed lately with too much work. And he hasn't been eating right. Did you know? The other day, he lived the whole day on high calorie, low nutrition food."

"Yashiro-san," she stubbed her booted foot on the pavement. "Please remind him again that he lacks the professional attitude by not taking care of his body."

"Well… maybe you can lecture him on it," Yashiro-san dug into his bag and pulled out his planner. "Since you have such a great influence on him regarding food. Let's see… today's Monday. So would you be free Wednesday night?"

"What is this?" she said in a deadpan voice. "Could there be some kind of conspiracy against me that everyone is asking me out on dates?"

"What? No!" Yashiro-san answered rather forcefully.

"Well… as tempted as I am to prepare him a full course meal just to get him to eat, I'll be in Kyoto starting tomorrow and won't be coming back until Sunday," Kyoko grumbled. "I'm also not really in the mood to be the target of his bullying streak."

"Bullying streak?" Yashiro asked. "Oh yeah… you mentioned earlier about guys asking you out on dates."

"Huh?" Kyoko turned to him in surprise. Then she laughed. "No… that was an exaggeration. Kijima-san was making fun of me and said it as a joke."

"Well," Yashiro-san laughed too. "Kijima-san can be quite a flirt." He pushed his eyeglasses back and changed the subject. "But is there anyone you're interested in right now? A girl your age must have a crush or two…"

"What?" she giggled. "I'm not the type who falls in love easily. I don't really think about useless things like that. But Natsu has a crush on BJ."

* * *

"B…J…?"

"Yup," she smiled. "You've probably never heard of the movie he's in since it probably isn't promoted around yet. A friend of mine in Box 'R' showed me a leak in some website. The video's pretty bad though. But Natsu would be the type to be very enthralled with him."

"Enthralled how?"

"Because…" Kyoko-chan became enthusiastically. "Natsu plays a bully who takes pleasure at the pain of others. When she sees the brutal way BJ finished off the victim... The victim would have been so terrified that he should have died in fright before he was given the final blow. She would have found him really, really hot."

Yukihito didn't know if he was going to be happy for Ren that 'Natsu' is finding him attractive or concerned for Kyoko-chan that she is finding BJ attractive. He decided to be sad for both of them since his darkest, most evil character is the one her darkest, most evil character finds so... 'hot'.

-----------------------------------

**Chapter 4 Notes:**

- I didn't really intend this chapter to be that long. But still ended that way… too many characters around not to exploit… er, write about. Though I get the feeling this is starting to become a little OOC. But since this is a situation-driven fanfic, it cannot be helped if I made certain assumptions of what they would do depending on their personalities from the manga.

- I actually said that it would take a couple of days before this chapter would be up because I'm busy with some stuff and I was totally aloss about how to write this chapter. But once I got over the difficult part, everything just flowed. However, I was never good at writing character like The Emperor of the Night so… pfft :p

- Again, thank you for everyone to reviewed the previous chapter. **deddinity **(thanks! i was really wondering if i went too far with the natsu bit), **saphfire **(thanks... i'm actually at the point of thinking i was doing it too much since the standard fanfic don't go this long per chapter), **Kay **(that would be for the next chapter - i'm giving ren a reprieve from being abused and focus on kyoto for the next chapter), **ecki **(lol), **Eri Nikaido **(now. next chapter will be up in a couple of days), **miss_understood777** (that would be for the next chapter... i'm flattered to know i even have 'fans' thanks), **lifeishawesome **(it's fiction anyway... 7 more days before chapter 136! hoping ren would finally show up), **devilishduck **(i wonder that too - lol! that won't come out until later chapters. ^^), **steph300**,** flaming-amber** (does this chapter answer your question???).

- I don't really know what everyone's expectations are with the story, but I did say in the blurb outside that this story is a series of random events that I tied up into one story... and failed.

- Anyway, chapter 5 will be up in a couple of days! Probably Saturday. Kyoto this time. Finally.


	5. Chapter 5: Corn

**Chapter 5: Corn**

**Warning: **Yey! Fluffy like a beagle! Lovely!!!

**Disclaimer: **I now own Skip Beat! Well… a new volume of it anyway.

-----------------------------------

Yashiro Yukihito has been a witness to a few milestones in the painfully slow and boring relationship of Tsuruga Ren and Mogami Kyoko. He had to admit, as bad as it seemed, it has been much more exciting and interesting to watch when they didn't like each other. But now, he can doze off and wake up to find that they haven't made any progress at all.

But once in a while, they would surprise him. Like when, without him knowing, they were already making private phone calls to one another, or when Ren became unlike his usual self when he was in Okinawa, worrying about her while she was in Karuizawa, or when he found out that Kyoko-chan has been sleeping over his apartment – guest room, but still in his apartment. A lot of things happened between them but they keep reverting back to how they always were – sitting in a corner together, just keeping each other company.

Somehow… he thought as he stared at Ren sitting in the middle of an interview with an entertainment reporter notorious for twisting questions in order to wring out answers that most celebrities regret saying. Somehow… if there were any progress in this relationship of theirs, it would be the disturbing tidbit that Kyoko-chan told him that Natsu would be the type to find BJ attractive. No matter how mild-mannered his young charge and how sweet the girl he was in love with seem, whenever he tries to visualize their future together, he strangely sees little BJs and little Natsus in his head, trying to brutally kill each other based on what he knew about the darkness of both characters. On that part, they made progress. On the other part, he just didn't know.

"…so Dark Moon is a very intense and deep story about love and revenge. One aspect of that is the forbidden love between Katsuki and Mizuki – you've portrayed that quite well in the series. Perhaps… you've experienced something like that in the past?"

"Mmm…" Ren smiled. He has always been smart and astute when dealing with people who would like to intrude upon his private life. And he has always been able to do that with the tact and the grace his reputation has developed. "Not at all! …"

What?! Yukihito gaped.

"… If it was portrayed with such intensity, it would have something to do with real and deep understanding of the character and where's he coming from."

"So you've never fallen in love like that?"

Ren gave a short laugh. "I'm still young and far too busy to have time for those things. I'm too focused on my career. Maybe in a couple of years."

"I really don't get you," Yukihito grumbled when the interview was over and they were in the car, driving off to a publicity shoot.

"What did I do now?"

"Fuwa Sho has staked his claim on Kyoko-chan on national television. It may not be known to the public who it is, but you and I know– This could have been your chance– You could have–"

"Are you telling me I should have done the same, saying 'Oh yeah… I like this high school girl I work with in Dark Moon.'? Yeah… she'd love that!" he replied sarcastically. "Anyway, I was able to answer it properly with the standard answer for celebrities who value their privacy. That guy never asked anymore after that, didn't he?"

"Well, that's true…" Yukihito muttered. Ren was really boring like that. "But still–"

"And…" Ren followed up softly, keeping his eyes straight on the road. "I'm not taking any petty baits." Yukihito stopped as he glanced at Ren. "If I'm going to make pathetic and messy mistakes, it's going to be in front of her." He's always known that he's not the type to make his life into a circus. Also, he has always been protective of Kyoko-chan. He wouldn't be the type to make a public spectacle of her just to satisfy his own ego.

"How boring," Yukihito crossed his arms over his chest, annoyed that he can't get to make fun of him anymore since he's starting to become serious and mature. "And here I was with a piece of good news for you involving Kyoko-chan." Actually, he really didn't want to say it. Especially since sadistic little demon BJs and Natsus keep floating on his head.

"What about Mogami-san?" he turned to him curiously.

"Do you really want to know???" Yukihito grinned slyly. He'd tell him if he really wanted to know. Ren seemed down ever since Kyoko-chan went on-location to Kyoto. He wanted to tell him too, if just to boost his spirits up.

Ren gave him a dry look. "Forget it… you're just joking around with me so I don't want to hear about it anymore. Anyway, if it was that good a news, Mogami-san will probably tell me about it anyway."

"Ren, you're really, really boring, you know that?" Yukihito complained. "If everyone in Japan knew that, you wouldn't be as popular as you are."

"Oh really? Just because of that, we're having lunch in that convenience store," he announced dictatorially, pointing and driving up the place. "I want some onigiri – with tuna in it."

* * *

Kyoto wasn't nearly as bad an experience as she agonized about the night before leaving.

Having grown up there, she took everything it had to offer for granted and never really took the time go around and sight-see. So she really enjoyed the tour the cast went to on their first day. She also liked spending time with everyone – as Kyoko, not Natsu. Of course, everything was as it is when they're shooting. She has already completed shopping for souvenirs and impressed Makino-san (her roommate) with her skills at packing a suitcase.

She did pass by the house where her mother lived. But a neighbor said that no one was home. She felt quite dejected about it.

Also, once in a while, she bumped into people she went to grade school and junior high school with. Most of them didn't even recognize her since she's changed and looked, acted and felt different from the plain, disliked Mogami Kyoko they isolated and ignored. The few people who did recognize her expressed their admiration for her. But all she felt for them was indifference. Especially since none of them were ever really her friends. Her real friends were in Tokyo. They may be people who spend their days pretending to be someone else for everyone's entertainment, but they were still more real to her than the ones that didn't exist in Kyoto.

After all, the only person who ever treated her like a person, even though if it was as a cloth girl, was also in Tokyo.

Anyway, they worked nearly non-stop from Wednesday until Friday morning. Everyone was tired and restless since they are mostly people her age. But everyone coped, anticipating their private time from Friday afternoon until early Saturday afternoon.

Makino-san invited her to explore the hot springs, but she declined. She already made plans for her private time.

So as though she was nine-years old again, she ran the path into the forest. She wasn't crying like the most of the time she would run this path – she was laughing and happy even though she knew Corn would not be there.

And as predicted, the prince of the fairies was not in the clearing at the end of the path. Of course, he wouldn't! What did she expect? He was back in his kingdom, working hard to exceed his father. So why did the fairies that guided her there say that Corn was waiting for her???

She walked into the clearing beside the river and sat down on the rock where Corn liked to sit. She set her bag down beside and just took in the view. There was never something like this in Tokyo.

The nice scenery, the fresh air and the nice memories she had as a child were slowly lulling her to sleep when her mobile phone rang. She quickly dug into her purse's pocket and saw that it was an unknown number. She picked it up as immediately, thinking it was the director or the office.

"Hello?" she said urgently, kind of annoyed that her peace and quiet in her favorite place in the world has just been disrupted.

"Still slow at picking up your phone? You've had it for almost a year, you ought to be used to it by now," a familiar chuckle came through the other line.

"Tsuruga-san," she smiled. She was really glad he called. They haven't spoken to each other since he apologized for bullying her in the Dark Moon set a couple of days ago. After that, since she was going to be away in Kyoto the day after that shoot, she worked non-stop on her scenes and when she was on her break, he would be working on his. And besides, if he was going to be bullying her again that day, she might as well just stay of out of his way.

"I've been trying to call you but I keep getting your voicemail," he said.

"What about?"

"Huh?"

"You would have known from Sawara-san that I'm in Kyoto," she pointed out. "So if you needed the assistance of the Love Me Section, Moko– I mean, Kanae would have been able to see to it. So what is it you've been trying to call me for?"

"Eh… um… well, nothing much," Tsuruga-san answered. "It's just been a while since we saw each other so I just thought I'd call you since I'm on my break."

"Tsuruga-san, we've gone through nearly a month of not seeing and talking to each other before. If you're worried that I'm going to forget myself just because it feels like a vacation, you don't have to because we've been doing nothing but work. And today's the only free day we got," she giggled. Then suddenly, her eye caught the time on her wristwatch, then she sternly said, "By the way… it's almost two in the afternoon. Have you had lunch?"

"Yes," he answered almost immediately.

"Are you lying?" When it came to food, he tends to skip a lot and only eats because his stomach needs something in it.

He sighed. "Yes."

"Then please tell Yashiro-san that he's a dead man."

He laughed. "So…" he began to change the subject. "How's Kyoto?"

"It's very nice," she smiled as she looked at the shore at the other end of the river. "Hey, Tsuruga-san, do you remember the forest in Karuizawa?"

"What about it?"

"Well… I'm actually in a place that looks just like it," she proudly said. "It's by the river and the clearing is full of rocks." She giggled as she said, "It's the place where I met Corn."

There was silence on the other end of the line and Kyoko strained her ear. Did the line go bad? "Hello?"

"No… I'm here," he finally answered. "Does it really look like the forest in Karuizawa?"

"Pretty much."

"With little rocks that look like scrambled eggs?"

"Yes!" She laughed as she got reminded of a silly thought of hers when she was a kid.

"And a nice big flat rock to sit on?" his tone seemed more enthusiastic.

"I'm sitting on it right now!"

Hold on. How would Tsuruga-san know?

"It sounds very nice," he finally said after another couple of seconds of silence. "I wish I can see that place."

"You should!" she excitedly said. "Someday. If we ever get to work together and we end up in Kyoto, I'll definitely show you this place!"

Wait a minute…

No! This was her place. Hers and Corn's alone! It's not right to have outsiders intrude. Even as a child, she didn't even let Shotaro know about this place. How can she even oh-so casually invite Tsuruga-san to come here with her one day?

But then again… the thought of Tsuruga-san being here didn't seem wrong and out-of-place. After all, he was the one who convinced her that Corn was alive and well because he can now spread his wings and fly.

Of course! She finally realized it. Even back then she knew that if she ever told Shotaro about this place, he would have laughed and told her she was delusional about hanging around with fairy princes. Actually, she always thought that he would have been jealous and kill her fairy friend. But Tsuruga-san believed her! She was so happy about finding someone who believed her that she even shared Corn (the stone) with him. It now makes sense why Tsuruga-san's presence here… would not be so strange.

And… It would be nice to have someone to share this place with. Because it would be a waste if it wasn't. Especially since Corn is never coming back to the human world.

"Mogami-san?"

"Huh?''

"I have to go," he answered apologetically. "I'm being called."

"All right," she smiled.

"I'll see you when I get back from Osaka."

"You're in Osaka now?"

"Nope, I'll be flying there tomorrow."

"OK," she said before switching to her scary, commanding voice. "Please remember to eat! Nutritiously."

He chuckled. "OK, OK… Take care."

* * *

Yashiro Yukihito has been a witness to a few milestones in the slow and boring relationship of Tsuruga Ren and Mogami Kyoko, he thought as he waited as Ren placed his mobile phone back in his bag.

This was definitely not one of them!

Sure, he seemed happier after that phone call so Yukihito automatically assumed that he just spoke to Kyoko-chan. When it comes to how he gets along with people, there are very few people who can make him smile like that and only one who can make him look that happy. But… scrambled eggs and flat rocks???

He sighed. No wonder this relationship idiot never gets anywhere with her. He continued to stare at the back of this moron's head. How on earth can anyone build a relationship with anyone based on scrambled eggs and flat rocks???

"What's wrong, Yukihito-san?" Ren stared at him as he passed him by the door.

"What? Nothing's wrong," Yukihito shook his head vehemently.

"OK…" He just looked at him with a blank expression on his face. "Then… shall we go?"

"Ah… right," Yukihito nodded as Ren walked ahead of him. With the pace that these two are running living off small and trivial progress, he doesn't think he will be seeing mild-mannered little Rens and sweet little Kyokos in his head soon.

"Oh yeah…" Ren stopped and looked back at him. "Mogami-san asked me to tell you that you're a dead man. What did she mean by that?"

And in his head, another little Natsu was born.

* * *

After talking to Tsuruga-san, Kyoko stayed for another half hour daydreaming with all of her memories. After that, she promised to have dinner with some of the girls so she stood up and dusted the seat of her jeans and made her way.

She looked back at the place with a happy smile, kinda sad at knowing not when she will be coming back again. She took her time back walking back, smiling as the fairies waved good-bye to her. She wants to come back soon.

And when she reached the end of the path, it was not the way that she came from.

In front of her eyes… Unconsciously… Her feet have led her back to the place where she grew up. She's such an idiot! There she goes again with her habits!!! Old habits really die hard! She has always come home here after she comes back from the forest. The only home she ever knew when she was a child!

"Uh…" The man who has been sitting down by the pond feeding the koi, stood up and stared at her. "Is… is that you? Kyoko-chan?"

She just stared at the kind man who she has always showed her kindness and strict instruction when she was a child.

"Oji-san…"

It was Shotaro's father!!! And the home that her feet and old habits have brought her back to the Fuwa's inn!

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**Chapter 5 Notes:**

- Again, I lied. I actually said I will be posting this chapter by Saturday because I thought it would be very difficult to write it. It actually wasn't. But yeah... cutesy fluffy. But Corn and Kyoko have always been fluffy.

- Well… I really didn't want to write about Kyoko's painful childhood. If I did, it would probably be in another fanfic, but I'm not really into those kinds of things. Also, I would be skewing away from the point of this fanfic. The point here is the seven men in Mogami Kyoko's life. And in this chapter, it just happens to be Corn.

- Remember when I said that anything outside the canon would be used as plot device??? Yukihito's obsession with little BJs and little Natsus would be the result of that plot device. I don't think we'll be hearing about it in the last two chapters. Unless I turn weird again and just write about it just to exploit it again.

- I didn't add the thing about her mother because there's still a lot of mystery about it since it has been mentioned that Kyoko ended up living with the Fuwas so it's not sure if she just ran away there, was left there for good or whatever it is happened to her mother. As much as possible, apart from the plot, I didn't want to invent stuff, especially I'm aiming to make this fanfic as in-character as possible.

- I also used the manga translation of the rocks that look like scrambled eggs rather than the anime counterpart that they look like hamburgers. I always liked the manga more than the anime anyway.

- Again, thanks to everyone who reviewed. I'm really flattered that I'm able to meet your expectations (well... in terms of being in-character). **Devilishduck** (we've seen the last of BJ and Natsu for this fanfic. I used that as plot device for Yukihito on this chapter.), **jelloids** (as I said, I think I've written enough about BJ and Natsu. I don't want to make anymore assumptions since I only used it for humorous purposes. thank you for liking the story), **Clow Angel** (thanks! i thought i was really going off-character especially when i wrote about the emperor of the night - glad that most people didn't think he was. i'm glad you enjoyed the chapter.), **miss_understood777** (try removing your glasses. i did, tripped and saw the world differently XD and of course, i would mention you here... you did, after all, take time and effort to write up a review ^^), **Ecki** (if it became 10 degrees hotter where i am, i would die of dehydration. being in a tropical country can suck.), **Eri Nikaido** (well... for this chapter, it's corn. but i'm not saying who will be the next guy. that's a surprise ^^ as to what will happen with kyoko and shou... who knows??? XD), **lifeishawesome** (timely? if it was, i would have written this in one go ^^ but it's always been one of my writing habits to write something with an ending in mind. i wouldn't want to drag it out because if new chapters of the manga are published, there would be changes in canon and it would defeat the purpose of the canon that i'm basing the current fanfic on. but that's just me.) and** mangaaddict300 **(kijima would be the type to like pretty girls. but she also sees kyoko as plain and uninteresting. it would be like him to notice if she suddenly prettied herself up. and whoa... did you really think ren really act like a father at the last part of chapter 4??? then i failed. XD)

- Anyway... it's the weekend! I'm going to be partying to get the stress out. My weekday stress reliever would be this fanfic. So next chapter would be in Monday night at the latest ^^;;; Just how will things go between Kyoko and Shou's parents???


	6. Chapter 6: Actor X

**Chapter 6: Actor X**

**Warning: **Now here's where we start getting a bit OOC! Plot device at work.

**Standard I-don't-own-Skip Beat! Disclaimer: **So… Wait for it… I don't own Skip Beat! There!

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"Leak?"

"Yes," the voice on the other line said. "We still don't know who did it though. It was posted it on some blog a week ago. But thankfully the video quality is bad and there was no mention that you're playing BJ so no one has figured it out yet."

"But it has already created the buzz in forums and blogs," the assistant director said in a rapid tone. "It's still too early for any promotion…"

"But this kind of publicity is too great to ignore," Matsushima-san commented.

"Yes," the assistant director continued. "A friend of mine who runs a movie forum site tells me that this movie has had over 2,000 replies and nearly 10,000 unique hits in the span of four days."

They were seated in a conference room inside LME. Ren has been called over by Matsushima-san for an emergency meeting with the director in Osaka, where he was due to be in tomorrow. Yukihito has masterfully squeezed the meeting in pushing back the only appointment he had left for the day.

"It would be such a shame if we just let it die out," the director said. "Since we do intend to cause a sensation with this movie using BJ. We need to take advantage of this opportunity and build it while we still can. So this is what we need to do…"

The plan was for Actor X to appear in a VTR interview in one of the shows that was shooting that evening. The assistant director of the movie knew the assistant director of the show and they were more than excited to have the Mysterious Actor X. Since Ren was due in Osaka tomorrow and will be there for an entire week, it has to be done tonight. He will be at TBM Studios at six in the evening and Yukihito-san cannot be with him. According to Yukihito-san, the only thing on Ren's schedule is a magazine interview, which can be limited to an hour and a half. It was doable. As for further promotions, they will be developing it in a few days.

Ren was actually excited. He never imagined that a very bad quality, low-resolution 20-second clip is already making noise already. And good noise!

The call ended with the usual pleasantries. After hanging up, Matsushima-san stretched his arms and walked out of the room after saying that he was counting on Ren.

Ren gathered his things and stood up when he noticed that Yukihito-san was just staring at him, not moving from his chair. "Yukihito-san? The interview?"

"Ah!" Yukihito-san was startled and got a move on.

"What's wrong?" Ren asked as they walked out of the room.

"What do you mean?"

"Yukihito-san," Ren sighed. "I told you before that if you have a problem with me, you should just come out and say it. You've been looking at me the whole week with a disturbed look on your face. Seriously, what are you thinking about?"

"Criminally-insane children," he muttered as they stepped into the elevator.

Ren was just about to push the button for the parking lot when he stopped and turned to him. "And you think I'm one?"

* * *

That idiot!

Kyoko rushed out of the Shinkansen Nozomi and stalked out of Tokyo Station into the hustle and bustle of the city.

This is just an indication of how heartless that jerk can be. How can he be so cold to the parents that brought him into the world, spoiling him into the rotten person that he is??? Even she – the nosy little brat who they took in just because she hangs around their home just to be close to him – had more gratitude to the kind people who gave her a warm place to sleep, structure and discipline!

She got into the subway with her single-minded determination to get to that moron.

True, he turned his back on his parents the day the two of them ran away to Tokyo so he can chase his dreams but this was too much!

When she stumbled upon the Fuwa's inn on her way back from the forest and was entertained by his parents, she felt horrified. She wasn't really enthusiastic telling them a very edited version of how she and Shotaro cut ties with each other. They expressed their regret about that since they believed that they were very suited for each other, but expressed hope that the two of them would come back together. To her, that was out of the question and made it perfectly clear.

But as she sat in the private room where she used to serve and entertain guests as a nakai, she gradually learned that the okami is sick and one of the few wishes is to see Shotaro again. Kyoko always knew that he believed that it was his parents who hated him, which prompted him to run away. They've been trying to get his information through Akatori Agency for the last couple of months, but were constantly declined. Well for obvious reasons. But that was more than she could take for the couple who gave her a home.

With her temper flaring, she suddenly found herself on a bullet train back to Tokyo. She could call him, but she didn't know his contact details. She remembered that Asami-san, the director of the 'Prisoner' PV, would be a common link between them to have both their numbers. But she might misunderstand the situation. Anyway, since her number had caller ID, she really didn't want to let him know that and give him more windows to torment her. Anyway, she wasn't doing this for him. This was for kind people who took her in when she had nowhere else to go.

Inside the train, she apologized and made excuses to Makino-san, telling her that she will be back late that evening. She has also been trying to get a hold of Akatori Agency for details of that degenerate's whereabouts only to be turned down. She stumbled upon his annoying website in her phone to know that he's scheduled to appear on a show she knew was being shot in TBM Studios tonight (since Kimagure Rock was also being shot there and she was familiar with schedules and times of the show that shoot there).

Lucky for her too, she thought, looking at her watch. 6:00 PM. Time was scarce and she needs to be on the last bullet train back to Kyoto at 7:45 PM. Since Kimagure Rock is being shot in TBM Studios, she just walked straight in without any problem. She was really lucky too. Since the guard-on-duty is someone she knew.

Again, she repeated to herself that this was not for him!!!

* * *

The waiting area was clouded with a dark gloomy aura.

Fuwa Sho was not happy. "Shoko," he leaned over and whispered to his manager. "I thought I was supposed to headline this show? Why is this weirdo Actor X also here?"

"I wasn't really informed about it until now, Sho," Shoko whispered back, sneaking a glance at the indistinguishable man who in a hat and sunglasses sat on the other side, leafing through a magazine obviously ignoring them around a mask of a 'Don't come near me.' aura. He was really surprised when he appeared on the waiting area that he was already there. He saw that movie's preview leak and thought it was pretty cool. But that nobody Actor X was too aloof, he got really pissed off at him. Didn't that guy know who he was? "Anyway, the assistant director told me that it's only going to be a few minutes before he's going to be interviewed. Also, it's only going to be a short while then he'll leave. You're going to be interviewed and will be performing a song so you're still going to be top bill."

"I should be," Sho straightened up and puffed with self-importance, but continued to speak in a low tone so that Shoko will be the only one to hear. "I hope they get on with it already. That guy is giving me the creeps."

As though someone has read his thoughts, the door opened. But it wasn't the assistant director who came through. The door bounced off the wall with a loud thud and just outside the door was Kyoko with a menacing aura around herl. "Fuwa Shotaro!" she screamed.

"Kyoko?"

She scanned the room and when her gaze landed on him, her eyes narrowed. Somehow, it made Sho feel like a rabbit being preyed on by a higher predator. But he stood his ground and stood up from the couch. "So… you finally came to see me?"

She stalked into the waiting room and gave him a sharp kick on the shin. "Oww!" he cried out. Then she grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to the make-up room adjoining the waiting room, slamming the door behind them.

"Listen to me and listen to me good," Kyoko said after pushing him into a clear distance from her. "I'm only going to say this once because I have a bullet train to catch for a shoot tomorrow."

"OK," he folded his arms and leaned against a table. In truth, he was really happy to see her. She came to him. On her own accord. It's been a few weeks and he was beginning to wonder if she even heard of it or if she has just casually brushed it aside. The latter for have been devastating for him. Because that would be proof that she has already forgotten about him. But of course, he can't let her know that. "I'm listening. If this is about the interv–"

"Shut up!" she shouted angrily. Then Sho felt paralyzed. As though invisible hands were holding him still. "I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for your mother!"

"My mother?"

"If you have any love left for your parents, you will finish whatever you have on your schedule and get you ass to Kyoto to visit her. She's sick and is asking for you." He knew that his face must have turned white as a sheet because he suddenly felt cold. Without further explanation, she turned around and headed for the door saying, "Now… I've said what I have to say. I'm only here as a messenger. Whatever you do is your business."

She opened the door and Shoko stumbled but caught herself before falling flat on her face. "Kyoko-san!" she asked worriedly. "What about Sho's mother–?"

But she wasn't listening as she stepped out of the bathroom.

His mother was sick? That force of a woman Kyoko once strived to be… the woman who loved and pampered him until things became strained at home is not infallible? His head was spinning and he tried to focus on something. And when his sight straightened, he first thing he saw was Kyoko's back turning away from him. "Kyoko!"

She didn't stop walking.

"Since we're not going to see each other for a long time, I need you to answer one question."

At that, she stopped. She turned around and faced him. "Alright, I'll indulge you. Ask away."

He did say that, but when given the opportunity, he was at a complete loss how to answer. So at a loss that he blurted out the first thing in his mind – which is something so weird and childish, and… Something so uncool!!! "Who is Tsuruga Ren to you?"

* * *

"What?"

The demons that flying in his direction came to a complete mid-air stop.

"Huh?" she repeated her disbelief. That was his question? It was too ridiculous of a question. Especially considering the seriousness of the topic that they were discussing. That was his question? That is what he wanted to know? His mother is sick and this is what he wanted to know?

Annoyance started to creep up at her again. And her demons started attacking. "Don't you have better things to think about other than my relationships with other people? Weren't you even listening to me? You did not just make me sit for two and a half hours in a train to ask me that!"

She turned around, but stopped. Then turned right back to face him. "I'll tell you one thing though…" She smiled fondly at the thought of Tsuruga-san "He's absolutely nothing like you."

With that, she continued out the door when she realized that there is a vaguely familiar-looking man sitting on the far end of the waiting room, looking at her. She didn't bother figuring out who he was. She had a train to catch.

She bent down and gave him a formal bow. "I apologize for causing such a ruckus." Then she walked out the door and headed back to the train station.

* * *

For the third time in his life, he has come to realize what his place is when it comes to those two. Even if he wasn't disabled by the fact that he was in TBM Studios under the guise of Actor X, he doubted that he would have been able to penetrate the barrier that separated his world from theirs.

Once again, they were talking about things that only the two of them know about. Important things that no one had the right to interrupt.

Why can't she just stay where she's put? Wasn't she in Kyoto this afternoon? In the forest, talking to him about taking him back to the place where they first met? And in a span of a few hours, she is now here in Tokyo? Just to see him? On impulse?

'Who is Tsuruga Ren to you?' That idiot had the guts to say out loud.

'He's absolutely nothing like you.' That other idiot answered.

Damn right. In a city with millions of people where he was never lucky enough to just casually bump into her without anyone orchestrating it with work schedules and schemes, it was as if the gods themselves have opened up a direct pathway that always leads them to one another. When either of them was determined to find the other, they're able to do it.

That girl continuously confuses, confounds and contradicts him. And the stupid moron that he is feels elation, giddiness and content when she would reward him with one of her smiles. He's an idiot. Why is he content with just a smile or simple gestures or a sentence? He was a normally functioning 21-year old man. Any guy would have asked for more. But he knew each smile was worth it. Because he knew he goes through hell just to earn it.

He has always been admired for his level-headedness – his ability to separate his emotions from reason that prevents him from making rash decisions and stupid mistakes. Unlike those two, who act on impulse, ruled by their emotions. He actually… kinda envied them.

He wishes that he could just blurt out 'What am I to you?' to Mogami-san. But then what?

Enough, he told himself as he signaled right as he approached his building. He's had enough.

He looked at the clock on his dashboard. It was almost 10:00 PM. He still had a 7:30 AM flight to Osaka tomorrow morning.

As soon as he made the turn, he saw a familiar figure standing up from the bench by the flower box. It was the exact same place that exact same girl was waiting for him some months ago when she asked him for modeling. The car crawled to a stop as he stared at her. After she realized that he'd seen her, she gave a low bow. He got out of his car and walked up to her.

"Good evening, Tsuruga-san," she greeted.

She said in TBM Studios that she was going to be on a train so… "What are you doing here?"

She looked up at him and smiled shyly. "I… I came to see you."

Something inside him swelled with unanticipated joy. Just like the chicken – er, Bo said. He smiled. "Whatever for?"

"Actually…" Her next words set the course of the events that evening. His smile slowly disappeared, his mind suddenly went blank, and the swelling joy suddenly deflated.

"Pardon me?" was all he can manage.

-----------------------------------

**Chapter 6 Notes:**

- Captain Obvious: No matter much I tried, I can't write about Shou's parents. There was so little info on them apart from Kyoko's 'people that I am grateful to' (on her resume) and owning an inn. Considering that they spoiled Shou, they should liked Kyoko immensely if they preparing her to be his wife. Also, I don't believe that Shou hated his parents. He has resentments towards them, but I don't think he hates them either since he mentioned in the Prisoner Arc that he has always been basked in his parents' love.

- I think Kyoko went a little OOC here. If I take into account that she is the type to have single-minded obsessions about things, it would fit. But I'm not sure but if she's the type to go to such an extent as she did here. But considering that she ran her bike into a record store just to get a Shou-chan poster in Chapter 1 of the manga, she should be. Anyway, I used a plot device - I needed get her back to Tokyo you know! ^_^

- Actor X is actually far more difficult to write about compared to BJ – at least with that guy, there's already information, no matter how little it is. So I just let him have a cameo on this chapter. Plot device! ^^ But this is the most difficult chapter to write because it's too full of dorama and has very little opportunity for smart ass comments like I usually had for other chapters because I realized that the story hasn't moved at all!!! And it's the second to the last chapter. I'll do much better in the next chapter.

- Thank you again to everyone who made their reviews (and everyone who added me in their alerts.) **devilishduck** - yeah, i had a hard time writing the scene about shou's parents. it's a mere plot device since kyoko's in kyoto anyway ^^; **miss_understood777** - do you actually think shou's parents are like that? i'm still the only person i know who doesn't think that ;_; anyway, i wrote in the previous chapter "fluffy like a beagle" because the volume i got was of the vie ghoul arc. i'm still weirder than you are; **Kay - **thanks. the skip beat! manga is not only much better than the anime, i find it much more superior.; **stice73** - have no expectations.; **Eri Nikaido **- you just noticed that??? there's only one more chapter to go!!! LOL!; **mangaaddict300 **- i still fail at life.

- Anyway, last and final chapter will be up by tomorrow! Thank God… it's almost finished!!! Reminder: PLEASE HAVE NO EXPECTATIONS. ^^


	7. Chapter 7: Tsuruga Ren

**Chapter 7: Tsuruga Ren**

**Reminder:** Just as carved on the gates of hell – "Abandon all hope, all ye who enter here." Read with no expectations. Or at least lower them.  
**  
Disclaimer:** I don't own Skip Beat! I'm not even human. I am a bot who writes fanfiction for the lack of anything better to do.

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Fuwa Sho clamped his phone shut and tapped it on his chin.

That was the first time he spoke to his parents since he ran away from home. Somehow, he felt as though a ton of weight has been lifted off his shoulders. And he owed it to Kyoko.

Everything is going fine back in Kyoto. The inn was still flourishing and his father is well. It would seem that his mother is on her road to recovery… from a very bad flu. He smiled as he thought about how that idiot can misunderstand things. It is so like her to mistakenly connect her mother being sick and her wish to see him again just because they were mentioned in the same conversation. He smiled at the thought.

He received a very bad scolding about cutting ties off with Kyoko – and it seemed like Kyoko didn't tell them all the details of it. That was fine with him. He really didn't want to hear his own stupidity from them since he has just proven them wrong about chasing after his dreams.

Thinking of Kyoko, his thoughts drifted to his pathetic side earlier this evening. He was annoyed with himself for being so uncool, especially with that Actor X guy hanging around the far end of the waiting room. It would have been worth it if he got a concrete answer, but he didn't. She had that kind of smile for Tsuruga Ren??? He never saw… that kind of smile on her face… for him.

But he still wins over that stupid gorge-star, right? She jumped on a train just for him. Well… knowing what she is to him now, he suspected that she didn't do it for him but for his parents. She has always had the highest regard for them so it wouldn't be weird to think that. But it felt very nice to be looked after by her like that. He never realized how warm it felt.

There were no promises of coming back home yet. In fact, he was ordered not to come back until he can bring Kyoko-chan back with him. He'll do that, he happily thought that as he leaned against the couch.

Once he was relaxed at what today brought him. Then he stopped and realized that what he should have asked for was her phone number!

* * *

Ren didn't know or understand how any of this happened but…

His leg was getting cramped.

As he sat down on the couch, listening to everything she had to say… Even though she wasn't sparing him any of her usual side comments and afterthoughts as she told him everything that happened that day from the time they talked on the phone how where they are now, he still didn't understand how any of this happened.

Ren was really surprised that Mogami-san showed up at his doorstep. After all, she is supposed to be on her way back to Kyoto, as he overheard in the waiting room in TBM Studios. He really didn't know why he was thinking what he was thinking and expecting what he was expecting. Especially since…

It's her.

"I did something really stupid. So I need you to chop the useless person I am in half."

All because she got really depressed after she missed the last train to Kyoto that she ended up getting depressed and moped around the place. And she failed to call her roommate because she promised to call at 9:00 PM to inform her exactly what time she will be coming back. Even though the next train was at 8:00 AM the following morning and the call time will be at 12:30 in the afternoon, her blatant neglect of duty to check in resulting to people worrying about her was unforgivable. She came to him to because of his strictness when it comes to work – she was a failure as his kouhai because she has forgotten the stern lecture he gave her on her birthday on the Dark Moon set.

He looked down at her head as it rested on his lap. She was on the couch lying on her side, her head turned back from him. It was the only way she would tell him everything because she looked absolutely terrified at the fact that he was looking at her that it made her stutter and incapable of completing sentences. She said that she really feels bad and wondered if she it was possible to borrow his lap. It made him wonder what his face actually looked like at the time.

Now he knows how she must have felt that time in Karuizawa and why she almost fell off the trailer when they made their way back on the set. His own legs are dying to move.

It's not like he didn't understand. Even if it is Fuwa. He's not a heartless monster and it's not like he didn't know what it was like to not be in contact with his parents. But the mere fact that she gets the energy just for that guy. That she would lose herself to throw caution in the wind for Fuwa. And that she clawed her way through Tokyo just to see him. To the point where the only time she was conscious of what she was doing was when her roommate in the hotel in Kyoto called her up because she failed to show up at the designated time for dinner. She came to him on her own accord. Ren just… didn't want her near him.

It made him want to hate her.

Because he's always been like that when she was concerned. But she never was for him.

Because he can't even protect her since there is nothing to protect her from.

Because up to this point, he was still using his head, getting perspective on it when everything else inside him didn't.

"Is that it?" he finally asked when she finally finished.

"Yes," she said softly.

"Why did you want to tell me all of this?" he asked, trying to keep himself from being angry, but he knew that he wasn't able to hide the halting tone from his voice. He wasn't even bothering to hide his annoyance with her.

"Because…" she moved her body to a fetal position. "I don't want you to lose faith in me. The last thing I want to do in this world is to come near Shotaro. I don't want you to hate me that you would never want to speak to me again."

"You already told me before." he asked then felt her body stiffened at his icy tone. "How many times do you expect me to buy that argument?"

"Because," she said in a voice thick with emotion. Ren felt a tug in his heart realizing that she was near tears. For some reason, he really couldn't hate her if he wanted to. With her face turned away from him, he thinks she must have the look she had when he snapped in his hotel room in Karuizawa when he found out that Fuwa Sho was the one who saved her from stalker-kun – a face full of fear of him. A look on her face that he never ever wants to see. "I realized on the way to Tokyo Station… Because Shotaro asked me who you are to me…"

He stared as she crouched her body tighter. He realized that he was holding his breath. "And? What is it that you realized?" he managed to say.

"I realized that if I never met you and you never became the senpai who would mercilessly lecture me, cutting off my bad points to help me grow as an actress…" She clenched her fists. "Even if I am studying to find myself through acting… I think, with that idiot and the angel and Mio and Natsu… when I'm finally find myself, all I'll see is a girl covered in darkness. But, Tusruga-san, you… you're always there to pull me right back when I'm on the verge of being totally consumed by the darkness of the characters that I play."

There was a stabbing pain on his chest. He felt it constrict painfully. Because…

He fully understands what she just said.

Because he knew they were true… For him. With Katsuki and Actor X and especially with BJ… He smiled, looking down at her.

* * *

Her eyes widened in surprise when his hand gently fell on her head and started stroking her hair. Just when thought she was about to cry, the dark aura that surrounded the room where her demons flew around in joy, instantly disappeared.

She smiled and relaxed her body. "It's not that I don't think Moko-san won't be there for me," she continued. "The two of us are best friends after all."

"No, I understand very well," he softly said. She didn't have to turn her head to feel the smile on his face. It wasn't the painfully bright smile that could blind from behind. The tone of his voice made her think that the smile on his face is the same one he's had on when he told her that he believed her when she told him that she was studying acting to find herself.

How strange that without him pointing out her faults, she felt the same sense of guilt and relief. It was as though he has just brutally criticized her for her mistakes. Maybe this time, he was trying reverse psychology on her. Whatever it was, it was working.

"How is work?" he asked unexpectedly, clearing his throat. "You mentioned that Natsu so you may be having problems with her darkness?"

"Nope," she smiled. "Natsu's fine and well-developed as a character. BJ's the problem."

His hand stopped.

"B…" he asked. "J…?"

"Yup," she nodded her head. She turned her head to meet his eyes, surprised that his head was bent lower than she expected it to be. "He's a deranged, psychopathic serial killer in some movie. There was a leak on the Internet. You might not have seen it. Natsu has a really big crush on him." She giggled. "I guess, it's dark attract dark."

He stared at her strangely for a moment. Then his lips quivered and he gave out a hearty laugh.

She frowned. What the hell is he laughing at her for??? She guessed he would never understand. He is a guy after all. And even though she herself wasn't the type to develop crushes on some guy, it's not as though the characters that she plays aren't. She's the one who developed Natsu. He helped but because she's the one playing her, she would know what would be her preferences. She glared at him hard.

When his laughing eyes met hers, he narrowed them and said, "Ah… that's Mio."

* * *

"Kyaaah~!" Yukihito-san exclaimed at the sight of Kyoko-chan in the kitchen, drying the dishes, when he got there to pick up Ren for their trip to Osaka the next morning.

"Kyaaah???" Identical looks of bewilderment on his reaction appeared to Ren and Kyoko-chan's faces in perfect synchronization. Yukihito watched as their faces came to full realization behind his reaction. Ahh… they turned to stone.

* * *

Kyoko narrowed her eyes and studied it with intense scrutiny. It still didn't seem right. She loosened the stitch and removed the thread, placed it on her lap and sighed. Trying to complete the BJ doll was proving more difficult than she anticipated. After all, all she really got in that 20-second clip was a fuzzy, pixelized, dim silhouette of the man that Natsu would like. She tried to visualize it one more time, but deciding to give up for the time being and put the doll and her sewing implements back into her purse.

Creating the BJ doll was a good way to kill time. It's nearly an hour since the train started and it only seemed like less than that, but the lack of information make it impossible for her to complete it. And now she has another hour and a half to find something to do other than stare at the whizzing scenery.

She felt much, much better after the talk she had with Tsuruga-san. She ended up sleeping in the guest bedroom at his place because it was almost two in the morning when they finished talking. They both needed to be up by four-thirty to prepare to catch their respective rides to their on-location shoots. They went their own separate ways in front of his building since the airport and the station were in different directions. Yashiro-san was like an irritating fangirl in a Shojo manga. Sometimes she wished that he would find himself a girlfriend so he wouldn't pair up random people in his head.

Restless to find something to do, she picked up the phone and lazily browsed around the features. Then she realized that she had 3 unread (from Moko-san, Makino-san, and Moko-san) and over 300 read messages in her Inbox. No way! What the hell…? She hasn't cleaned her Inbox in almost a month!

After replying to Moko-san and Makino-san's messages, with the determination of a Type B person like she is, she began deleting messages, checking each one to see if they were important or not – important ones were sent their respective folders. She can't believe she went with a month of not cleaning her Inbox. This could be a sign that she's either incredibly busy or infinitely lazy.

Then she stumbled upon one she couldn't remember, dated about three weeks ago. Curious, she opened it and read: 'I'll be back in two days. I'll see you soon. I love you.'

Oh yeah… This was the message Tsuruga-san sent when he was shooting on-location. She just arrived to Kimagure Rock from Box "R" that time. Oh well… it was a good thing that if he sent it to the wrong person, he ended up sending it to her. If anyone else received this message, they would have misunderstood and what a mess he would have ended up in because of it.

She remembered that she corrected him – informing him that he sent it to the wrong person. Without a doubt, he should have been able to send it to the right person afterwards – probably to that sixteen-year old girl that he's in love with that he told her about in TBM Studios a long time ago while she was donning the disguise of Bo. But that was almost a year ago. She should be seventeen by now. Maybe he finally broke down those chains and finally found the courage to tell her.

It must be nice… To be loved by someone like Tsuruga Ren.

Not only is he good-looking – if he ever got rid of that fake smile of his, and smart and a great actor and all the qualities most girls dream about… Tsuruga Ren is all that and so much more.

He would sit for hours just to keep people company, while they do their own thing while they're on set. He's respectful of people's intelligence and abilities. He would stand by people he has faith on when other's doubted them. He would give advice based on his experience no matter how embarrassing just to be able to help. He would spend hours giving training just because he's asked to. He takes care of people when they're knocked dead with a fever even if he's a terrible cook. He chases off undesirable people when they're causing trouble. He calls up once in a while just because he hasn't seen someone in a long time. He listens to problems that other people started that he had nothing to do with. And he would merciless chop you to bits just to let you realize your faults.

And all these, to a mere kouhai he bullies and teases.

So that girl… she smiled. She must be the luckiest girl in the world.

She just hopes that girl knows how to cook or Tsuruga-san will die of malnutrition.

Anyway…

Are you sure you want to delete this message?

Yes.

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**Chapter 7 Notes:**

- Yes, I went all out on the OOC.

- I'm way past my deadline -_-''' I couldn't stomach to finishing the other ending I came up with since my skin wouldn't stop crawling so I made this one. I don't think I will ever accomplish a proper KyokoX*that guy* ending – not with how the canon is running at the moment. The reverse lap pillow, however, was something I was very determined to have! Because if Ren is not going to have that other ending, I might as well give him a consolation prize.

- To be honest, I wrote this fanfic with one scenario in mind: 'What if Ren ended up drunk/tipsy enough to send Kyoko a message that he was in love with her.' Of course, that scenario just seemed so plain so I had to develop it further, resulting to this crap.

- Thank you to everyone who read this fanfic. Sorry I didn't deliver! I never intended to. ^^ (**_keikaku doori_**… .\ /.) Most especially to the reviewers who have deflated my self-confidence because you all seem to have such high expectations. \o/ I still win!!! **anonyvous **– nothing cryptic about the ending of the previous chapter. I just didn't know which ending to choose when i posted; **mangaaddict300 **– can you say that now after reading this chapter??? XD update your story too! i'm looking forward to them; **miss_understood777** – it's not a matter of small biased-ness… it's BIG biased-ness. LOL and there are no words that doesn't exist on the internet XD well… i actually thought people would have figured out that the chapters are all ren by chapter 3… but i guess I was wrong. ;_; i just themed the story around him. also, that is the reason why i called the story "seven men…" not "THE seven men…" for the purposes of this fanfiction, shou's parents are one thing: plot device... now you hate me because your expectations are not met; **Kay**;** miss koneko**; **flaming-amber** - really??? you think the chapters are short? i thought they're long... at 12 times new roman on MS Word, i went to fifty pages already ^^ anyway, i update as quickly as i can. i said it a couple of chapters back that i write with an ending in mind. and since i am a canon writer, the canon can change drastically with one chapter so i might as well finish it before it comes out. XD as i might me smite to death here by some people here, but i never ever believed shou is bad just full of himself because he's been spoiled too much; **devilish angel 4eva** - it was getting too what??? XD; **Ecki** - i thought that "go against the gods" thing was made of awesome, but i got really pissed off at ren when he never followed up; **lifeishawesome -** right??? of course she would! XD; **vesper-nova**; **Eki Nikaido** - you guessed it!!! XD; **milmirjia** - thanks.

- Is this the last of this series??? Mmm...


	8. Omake: The Golden Star At Dawn

**Omake: The Golden Star At Dawn**

**Dedications: **This omake is for **miss_understood777**, **devilishduck **and **jellolids **- three of the biggest BJ and Natsu pairing fans for this fanfic, which I only wrote to have something to write about in Chapter 3 and which I keep dragging out in the following chapters because of the enthusiasm for it I received. ^^ And **Ecki** - I'll think about what to write for the dare. I hope this suffices for the moment XD

**Warning: **In this omake, the definition of canon is like that thing that Pachebel is so famous for.

**Disclaimer: **Um... yeah.  
**  
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A couple of months later, Mogami Kyoko was stalking the halls of LME. The murderous aura that surrounded her made people step back to move out of her way.

She has gotten quite the reputation around LME to breathe fire when she was riled up. And today, she was really, really riled up! She was on the prowl and she was being deprived of her prey.

So when she heard that he was in the building…

To him, great suffering before death!

To his manager, instant death!

She ended up in the lobby of President Takarada's office and, as if on cue for any drama she has worked on, the doors opened and the President - flamboyant as ever - strode out laughing as he escorted the young actor and his manager out.

There was a crackle in the air that reached a critical point and the sight of him made her shout out, "TSURUGA REN!"

Her use of his name without the appropriate honorific befitting his status, considering that she is known around the industry to be the kouhai that looked up to him with adoration who possesses a strict conformity to hierarchical structure, with such ferocity got the three men's attention instantly. Not to mention the President's secretary.

"Mogami-kun?" the president looked at her, horrified. She knew how she must look – the face that launch a thousand demons. The face that she probably had on during the audition that made him decide to put her into the Love Me Section.

But she wasn't concerned about appearances at the moment. She walked towards the man in question. "T-this is you, isn't it? You're Actor X and you're playing BJ!!!" she sputtered out, nearly shoving her phone that was running the first official trailer for a movie to his face. "Aren't you!?"

For months all teasers that have been released for the movie were always indecipherable. In fact, none of them last for more than 10 seconds! And this morning in an LME conference room, she was excited to finally see the official trailer while she and the Bridge Rock boys were horsing around waiting for a meeting for Kimagure Rock to start.

The President glanced at the phone and smiled, "So it seems. People who know Ren would recognize him. That's very astute of you, Mogami-kun. But then again, it's expected of his… kouhai. Well, now that the cat's out of the bag…" Then he turned on his serious voice. "That information will never be revealed to the public though. After all, it's highly unusual for Ren not to be credited for a movie this big so people would think twice if it was him or not. But it's a great move for his career. Don't you agree, Mogami-kun?"

Kyoko gaped and turned to him. "Tsuruga-san!!! Y-you… you could have told me you know!"

"Why should I?" He raised an eyebrow at her. "It was part of my contract to keep absolute secrecy about it." Then he flashed her that infinitely annoying, sparkling smile of his. "Ah… could it be that you're concerned about that time that you told me that Natsu's in love with BJ?"

She felt her face heating up.

"That all this time," he continued, his smile growing brighter. "You've been having fantasies about me? Am I right? Mogami-san?" Then with the skills of the high-caliber actor as him, he shifted to a shy look and let out a big sigh. "How embarrassing."

Blood rushed to her face at the use of such embarrassing language in front of the President, his soon-dead manager, and the secretary who were hanging onto their every word. Damn this man!!! She glared at him, her lower lip quivering for the lack of anything to retort.

Is this man even really Japanese???

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**Omake Notes:**

- I really intended the chapter to finish at seven. But I can't stand that I ended the story with in such a cheesy headdesk note. But once I read what I posted, I got hives and was left unsatisfied... not that this helps the story improve in anyway. ~Besides, I forgot about The Golden Star At Dawn! Plus, Ren has been too abused through and through on every chapter of this fanfic. It's about time, Ren emerges victorious in one chapter.

- Also, I wanted to exploit one last time the whole Natsu has a crush on BJ thing one last time so I just wrote this.

- This is to pay homage to the Christmas 2008 special and Ren's Acting Test for Katsuki. ^^ Well, not really homage. I just stole lines from those chapters XD

- Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter of the story. I really, really appreciate it! **Ecki** - This is a (maybe) substitute. I'll think of something for your dare. But for now, I'm closing the story; **anonyvous**; **mangaaddict300 **- yay!; **Clow Angel** - the alternate ending is more OOC that i couldn't stand continuing because it's a "good end" for ren, so to speak. i don't want to say the details. i'm getting goosebumps of mortification just thinking about it. let's just that after his laughing fit, ren didn't say "Ah... that's Mio." because she DID NOT end up as mio there; **devilishduck** - we all love kyoko for being dense, don't we? ^^; **NeVerChanged** - thanks; **Eri Nikaido** - i never really intended to have a big romantic ending actually. i played around with the idea but i realized that i can't write love stories; **jelloids** - that's why we love her; **Lady Light **- i'm afraid this is it for this fanfic. if i update, it'll probably be an omake and not a continuation of the story. **miss_understood777** - who said i didn't malfunction??? XD and LOL if you fail in enlgish, i fail at life ; **Kaykit -** nothing more. this is it for this fanfic since a new chapter comes out in a two days time. new leg of the canon so this fanfic is closed. ^^


End file.
